Another chance at Life
by Evil Weasel
Summary: [Its FINALLY complete!]2 new comers stir up some trouble in the Kamiya dojo. SouzouOC KK fluffiness R
1. Chapter 1 Ally way fights

Disclaimers: PLEASE don't sue me. I don't have the money. If I did I would be with my lawyer trying to buy Rurouni Kenshin! So I don't own the characters (yet! *starts to plan fundraisers* MUAHAHAHAAA!) If I EVER do, I would be adding the characters I want and stuff. But I can't. -_-  
  
Author's notes: If this seems weird, the genre should be fantasy but that isn't on the list now is it? Oh well. A lot of weird stuff is gonna happen since it's my first fan fic. But to clear up some things my nick mane Weasel is NOT because of Misao! Although I think Misao is awesome, my nickname has nothing to do with her. I had it a long time before I found out about RK. I am a Weasel because my friend and I always Weasel our way into things...  
  
*****Chapter 1 ~ Alley way fights*****  
  
Her body felt as thought it ran for miles, but it was just hit too many times. There was a familiar taste of blood coming up her throat as usual which meant the beating was coming to a close. Once he saw the blood trickle down her chin he knew she learned her lesson.  
  
"Get up, you good for nothing lump!"  
  
Here it came, the hacking cough. Kujiro rushed to outside so she wouldn't get an extra beating for getting blood in the dojo. The familiar taste of blood...how disgusting!  
  
She heard the voices, "Where is the girl! She needs to take care of dinner!" Her mother and father were fighting again. They usually fought, but when Kujiro was involved (wait it was always blamed on Kujiro) it just meant an extra beating.  
  
Kujiro waited for her mother to come and smack her for being "Lazy." What Kujiro would give to give her mother and father a nice good smack. "Yeah that would be the day her parents were nice." But her thoughts were stopped at the noise of rattling of dead leaves. Kujiro was too weak from her beating to stand and look tough. But how could Kujiro, a 7 year old look tough?  
  
Out from the bushes came a man. From the black night she could only see his outline. Kujiro saw the shine of a fancy sheath...a sword sheath. She had seen them before in her fathers training hall. Had he come to kill her? The man spoke with an abnormal gentle voice.  
  
"Do your parents beat you often? Such a shame...a girl like you shouldn't be treated that way."  
  
"W-wh-who are you?" Kujiro was beside herself. But since she could see the man's face he still wasn't nearly as scary as her father. But how could someone speak with such gentleness?  
  
"Don't be rude answer my question and I will answer yours. Do your parents beat you often?" This guy was determined.  
  
"What's it to you?"  
  
"I can help you. I know you hate it here. I can help take you away from you abusive parents. If you come with me I can help you become a strong person," the man spoke with such gentleness, nothing of what Kujiro was used to.  
  
Kujiro figured that it was better than staying here. And being an eight year old, it would be easy for anyone to convince Kujiro to follow them. "What do you mean by help?" His voice put her in a spell. It was so rich. Not a raspy yell.  
  
"I will train you to be a swordswoman. And in the skills of magic," the strange man replied.  
  
"So what is your name?"  
  
"Nagasaki Saikaku. And what might your name be?"  
  
"Nakao Kujiro. Ano...from now on do I have to start to call you shishou?"  
  
"Yes, come on lets go before your parents come to look for you." The two figures shrunk in the distance.  
  
*****~*~***** **************  
  
(12 years later)  
  
"Kenshin? Kenshin! Kenshin, where are you?" Kaoru called out Kenshin's name a few more times and started to worry. What if he left?!  
  
"What is it Kaoru-dono? Is something the matter?" Kenshin saw the worried look on Kaoru's face which worried him.  
  
"Oh nothing! I just wanted to ask you if you want to go out to the Akabeko tonight. We could invite Sano and Megumi and I guess Yahiko would come," Kaoru asked.  
  
Kenshin smiled. "Sessha would like that, that he would!"  
  
Kaoru imagined Yahiko's face when she would tell him they were going to the Akabeko. Everyone knew he liked Tsubame. "Yahiko?!" she called, "Where is that kid?"  
  
"What is it busu? Don't tell me I have more training?!"  
  
"Do you want more? And DON'T call me ugly!"  
  
"Sure whatever BUSU!"  
  
"You keep that up you will have to do 100 chops and wont go to the Akabeko with everyone tonight!"  
  
"WHAT? I'll be good!"  
  
"Well let's go. Kenshin are you ready to go?"  
  
"Yes Kaoru-dono!" He had a foreboding feeling of what would happen that night but ignored it.  
  
~*~ ~*~  
  
"Well, I haven't seen you all in awhile! How are you?!" Tae the hostess of the Akabeko was very pleased to see the group of people.  
  
"Hello Tae! We are great. Could we have a table?" Kaoru said politely.  
"Of course!"  
  
~*~  
  
Tsubame blushed as she saw who entered the Akabeko. She hoped that Yahiko would stay after and talk with her. She really did like him. But it was obvious he liked her too.  
  
~*~  
  
"Thank god we got out of there before Tae bothered me about those bills I never paid," Sano sighed in relief.  
  
"Maybe you shouldn't waste all you money gambling baka tori!" Megumi said.  
  
"Hey, Kitsune what I do is none of your business. Hey where's the little punk?"  
  
"Yahiko is staying behind to talk with Tsubame," Kaoru replied.  
  
~*~ ~*~  
  
She was never gonna get any sleep. Her dream of the night her master took her kept waking her up. Second of all her movements were limited because of this damn kimono. How do women move in these things?! Kujiro felt as though she was tied up. How could Ajisai fall asleep in this alley way?! It gave Kujiro a foreboding feeling...she would never be able to sleep here. She much preferred her old dojo. To late now.  
  
She was torn from her thoughts at the sign of movement at the opening of the alley way and the appearance of shadows. Those baka's thought that she was asleep. A harmless Japanese woman who had no clue how to use a weapon. Yeah right! Kujiro shook Ajisai to warn her of their visitors.  
  
"I sense them too," Ajisai was getting excited to fight them. "Can I PLEASE take this ridiculous kimono off? They obviously found us and I'm NOT fighting in a kimono!  
  
"You're right next time we are gonna wear Chinese clothes. Those are much easier to move in!" Kujiro definitely agreed with Ajisai. She HATED wearing these kimonos when she had to run. They slowed her down too much, which greatly annoyed her.  
  
"Look here boys! We found ourselves some women!" The obvious leader of the scum spoke out. His greasy hair stuck to his face along with all the dirt on his face. It was disgusting. His appearance made both Kujiro and Ajisai want to run and take a bath.  
  
"Look here Kujiro we found ourselves some scum who don't take baths!" Ajisai spat back.  
  
"Well missy! You want to say that again? You are pretty much defenseless in an alley way, at night!"  
  
"That's it! Kujiro I am NOT fighting with a kimono!"  
  
"I TOTALLY agree!" with that Kujiro undid her obi to reveal a uniform similar to a ninja uniform.  
  
Ajisai had a little trouble with her obi and became irritated to she just took out her tanto and slashed the obi to pieces revealing her gi and hakama pants.  
  
"Gents these girls are actually thinking about fighting us!"  
  
Ajisai growled at this comment because she knew she could take them all on.  
  
Kujiro quickly put up her long black hair into a messy bun so it wouldn't get in her way during the fight.  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, and Megumi walked down an empty street. They soon heard some noise coming from an alley way.  
  
Kenshin saw down the alley way a group of men and farther down the alley way 2 young women. Kenshin was about to tell the men to not bother them when he heard:  
  
"That's it! Kujiro I am NOT fighting with a kimono!"  
  
"I TOTALLY agree!"  
  
Kenshin was surprised to see them shed off their kimonos to reveal other clothes neatly concealed beneath.  
  
The girl who neatly untied her obi was wearing a uniform close to a ninja uniform. She had long black straight hair, which was soon put in a messy bun. The other one had become irritated. Kenshin sensed great annoyance in her ki. She soon slashed off the obi and threw the kimono to the floor to show her black gi and white hakama pants. Her black hair matched her gi.  
  
~*~  
  
"Well, well, well. Are you sure you want to fight us? You are outnumbered. You are only women against 15 men!"  
  
"Are you sure you want to get so cocky now? I should be asking you if you are sure you want to fight us," Kujiro was PISSED. They said she was only a woman. She would show them what kind of woman she was, as their blood drips from their veins.  
  
"Come on boys...don't go easy on them just because they are women."  
  
"Come on we are ready," Ajisai couldn't wait to fight. As the first foolish fighter came at her she sensed weakness in his ki. She easily disposed of him. Kujiro fought with the same ease. These guys were WAY too easy. But out of no where she sensed a great ki. A strong ki at the end of the alley way watching her movements. There were two but one was much stronger. Kujiro, against her common sense looked at her audience. But felt pain on her side. She let out a whimper at the unexpected slash. The leader of the scum slashed her side while she looked away from the ongoing battle.  
  
"You cheated! Now you are as good as dead!" moving as though the slash never happened she speed towards him at a great speed and pierced though his heart with her katana.  
  
Ajisai heard the whimper and looked away but paid for it as well. She was cut deep but not enough to have a scar. In less than 30 seconds the guy who cut her was lying in his own blood.  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin saw they obviously didn't need his or Sano's help. He was amazed at the skill they had. They were almost as good as him.  
  
~*~  
  
Megumi saw how the battle was started but refused to watch the actual battle. She heard the cries of men in pain. She also swore she heard a whimper to gentle to belong to a man.  
  
~*~  
  
Now that all of the men were killed Ajisai looked at Kujiro longing to feed her demon hunger. Kujiro shook her head signaling to not feed. Ajisai became mad but realized Kujiro's reasoning. At the end of the alley way there was a group of four people. 2 men and 2 women. Ajisai growled at her misfortune. She wanted to feed so badly. She wasn't sick of the ningen human food food but longed for a ningendemons word for mortal to snack on.  
  
"No Ajisai," was all Kujiro said. Kujiro then whispered knowing that the observers would heard, "We need a place to stay, we could ask them...." Kujiro trailed off at seeing one of the women approaching her. She wore lipstick and a smock over her kimono. She had nice black hair.  
  
"You are hurt. Here let me take care of it," Megumi said, in full doctor mode. But Kujiro could have easily taken care of the cut to her side but decided against it.  
  
Ajisai looked at Kujiro confused on why she didn't take care of it herself letting the woman treat it for her. But decided to ask her later. Now wasn't the time to voice her question, she wanted to get out of here.  
  
Author's notes: It isn't that weird yet but you just wait! It'll get screwed up later on. Just you wait until Sano has this wacky idea that involves Kujiro.....yeah... Ja ne minna! ^_^ P.S. PLEASE review. I don't care if you write nasty things...wait I do. Any way PLEASE!!!! The first person to review will be told my wacky ideas....if they want to! *_*x But you can't BRIBE your readers! How do you know there are any? Author: You wanna say that again? _ FINE!!!! I won't bribe you but just review! And KEEEENNNSSSHHHHHIINNNN!!!! -_-x;;; Oro! Hai author-dono? Author: *innocent smile* Maybe I should have Kujiro whip your butt! Kujiro: ^_^ _ Oro!  
  
Weasel ^_^ 


	2. Chapter 2 Greetings

Disclaimers: -_- DON'T rub it in that I don't own RK. Please, Will any one donate money to my fund? It's called "The Rurouni Kenshin fund, So Weasel can get enough money to own RK." Oh well. I guess I'll stay to my fan fic.  
  
Author's Notes: Did ya like the first chapter? I tried to have some narrative hook with the whole dream Kujiro had at the beginning at the chapter....yes it was a dream. That's gonna happen a lot so be prepared. Remember this is a fantasy fic. Just remember when it gets weird.  
  
*****Chapter 2 ~ Greetings*****  
  
Megumi pulled out her supplies that she always carried with her for situations like these. She began to put disinfectant on the cut. But Kujiro flinched.  
  
"It stings," Kujiro explained.  
  
"Always the same reaction," Megumi stated. Her patients always complained of how the medication stung.  
  
"I need to bandage your side," Megumi stated.  
  
"Oh he he." Kujiro pulled out her kunai's. "Wouldn't want those there while you're wrapping my bandages, ne? Oh. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Nakao Kujiro. And she is Ajisai."  
  
"Nice to meet you. My name is Takani Megumi. Now Ajisai-dono I need to treat your cut."  
  
~*~  
  
Ajisai didn't like the look at the disinfectant. She saw the way Kujiro flinched. But she figured it was best not to make a scene. "Yes," was all she said, since she saw that the others were approaching.  
  
The other girl sort of resembled... a raccoon? Her long hair was put in a high ponytail secured by an indigo ribbon. Her kimono was a deep blue that brought out her blue eyes, it was decorated with silver butterflies.  
  
But a tall man with a white jacket and spiky hair held back by a red bandana soon caught her attention. His bandaged wrists implied that his strength was in his fists. His jacket was open to reveal his muscled chest. He was obviously strong. And was that a fish bone he was chewing?! How strange.  
  
The other man was quite short and he wore a pink gi. He carried a....a sakabatou? Why would someone carry a reverse blade sword? But then realized his red hair and his abnormal x-shaped scar. It was the hitokiri battousai! The hitokiri battousai wearing a pink gi?! What was the world coming to?! Ajisai was told stories about him. How he killed and that he had red hair with an x-shaped scar. She always wondered about how he got the two scars.  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin walked up to the girls when Megumi had finished treating one of them. He noticed that Sano and Kaoru-dono followed him. When he got closer he saw the two girls better. They were both young. He had heard Kujiro introduce herself and Ajisai.  
  
Ajisai's hair was jet black and blended with her black gi. If the lighting was right her hair would match perfectly. Except for the moon's light shimmered her black mane. Her once white hakama pants were now stained with some red spots. It didn't seem to bother her though. She had a look to her that was evil. The way her face lights up in her smile gave her an evil look. She couldn't be older than 17.  
  
Kujiro's hair was also jet black. But oddly enough she had grayish blue eyes. Her blue eyes were almost too gentle for her appearance. Her ninja uniform was a ruby red. It brought out her black hair. Her black hair landed softly on her back when she released it from her messy bun. It was long with little-to-no wave, so long, it was long enough to reach down to her pink obi. Her obi was tied in a big bow in the back. Barely any of her arms showed due to all her bracelets. Each looked foreign. Some had beautiful patterns and decorations; some had strings hanging down with beads that would clack with her every movement.  
  
~*~  
  
Kujiro realized Kenshin's observing eye of her bracelets.  
  
"They distract my opponents if they are not concentrating, they have served quite usefully!" Kujiro answered his question with out him even voicing it. Kujiro gave him a friendly smile.  
  
Kenshin looked at her surprised at first. "Oh. They do make quite a racket."  
  
"Well if my opponent is stupid enough to look at them then I quickly defeat them."  
  
Sano spoke up for the first time. "And how did you two learn to use swords like that?"  
  
Kujiro looked at Ajisai. "Well I started training at the age of 7."  
  
"Isn't that a little young?" Kaoru asked. Well now it was obvious why Kujiro was so good but they still didn't know about Ajisai.  
  
"I trained when I was young as well," Ajisai replied bluntly. That's all they needed to know.  
  
"Your cuts are treated but I suggest you stay at the clinic. We have to make sure they don't get infected," Megumi stated.  
  
"Thank you. I'm sure Ajisai and I would love to stay at the clinic for a while." Kujiro gave Ajisai a glare to silently tell her to not say a word. She had gotten them shelter and didn't want Ajisai saying anything.  
  
~*~  
  
(1 week later)  
  
"Oh Hello Himura-san!" Kujiro gave him a warm smile, "How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine, arigatou, but please call me Kenshin."  
  
"Alright. So what brings you to the clinic?"  
  
"I need to ask Ajisai-dono and you a few questions."  
  
"And what would those questions be about?" Ajisai stepped in.  
  
"About the Alley way fight."  
  
"Sounds more like an interrogation," Ajisai grumpily replied.  
  
"Well what ever you call it, I would like to know why you were attacked, that I would."  
  
"Ajisai, its fine. When would you like to talk?" Kujiro asked.  
  
"Well I would like to ask you the questions at the dojo."  
  
"Alright. Let's go Ajisai."  
  
~*~ ~*~  
  
As the group approached the dojo Kujiro realized that the dojo looked a little run down...NOTHING compared to her old dojo. It was twice the size of the dojo in front of her. Her old dojo was painted in gold, with no chips in the fresh paint. The molding on the windows was detailed in every way, to every scale of the dragon. The chandeliers were pure gold, and always shining. All around you would overhear the young men yelling, jumping, practicing techniques....  
  
~*~ ~*~  
  
Kujiro followed her shishou, Nagasaki down the polished wooden hallway. Kujiro looked up to see a high ceiling with gold chandeliers. As she looked in them she saw her tiny reflection.  
  
"Kujiro, hurry up and follow me," Her shishou commanded.  
  
Kujiro jumped at his sudden command and ran to catch up with him.  
  
"Sir, why did you bring a human girl here?"  
  
"I brought her here to train her no baka [1]."  
  
"But sir, girls shouldn't be taught the skills of the sword! They should be taught how to cook-"  
  
"l will train her; she has a strong sword spirit. She has a natural skill with the sword. I will train her and she will become better than me most likely."  
  
"But sir she is a girl and a human! She shouldn't know that Nochinoyo exists!"  
  
"You tell her that when she beats you. And she will when I train her. Hokomi don't question my authority."  
  
Hokomi looked disgusted at this comment. "So she is going to be your apprentice? It won't matter. A girl will never beat me." With that he walked away....  
  
~*~ ~*~  
  
"Where is Saikaku you little urchin?"  
  
Kujiro looked up and gave him and ice stare. Her normally grey/blue eyes turned steely gray. "No one calls me an urchin; do you have no respect for ladies? Master left on business. And it's MASTER Saikaku to you. If you want to speak with him you will have to wait for him to come back later."  
  
"You aren't a lady," he chuckled menacingly, "Far from it. All you know is the sword, which a girl should not know."  
  
Kujiro gave him a look, expecting him to leave. She sensed he wasn't going to either. "Are you going to leave? Or stand there like a baka?"  
  
He stood there and in a lazy voice he said, "I always wondered what that baka Haku saw in you. I always wondered why such a smart boy would want to die for an ugly girl like you, with no womanly manners at all. I guess he wasn't as smart as I thought."  
  
At that comment Kujiro felt her anger rising at a dangerous pace. The pain she felt after his death, the guilt of him sacrificing himself for her. Her anger at his murderer. All these emotions caused her to excel in her training at a dangerous rate. With in six months she mastered her sword technique. And mastered 2 others in a year. Kenjutsu and Kempo Isutakani. With all these techniques she molded them into her own style. Ittou waza fugin. She also trained to be a ninja, she was now studying magik.  
  
"Shut up Hokomi. Leave and come back later."  
  
"Oooo. Still morning his death?"  
  
"Still a weakling? No, now your just a blubbering idiot, leave here before I make you," She intensified her glare to try to convince him to leave but he didn't budge.  
  
"Oh, I'm scared now. Let's see if you can make me."  
  
Hokomi pulled his sword out and waited for Kujiro to strike. Kujiro stood there waiting for him. She was not going to strike first or he could say that she attacked him. Kujiro looked straight at him with her cold steel grey eyes. Although Kujiro had many emotions stirring in her she was too well trained to let any show.  
  
"Why don't you come and see," Kujiro put as much venom in as possible.  
  
Hokomi came charging at her. Kujiro jumped up and flipped in the air. She landed behind him; she jumped up and kicked his back with her legs. Hokomi was sent flying into the wall while Kujiro landed with out a sound. She stayed in her crouched position waiting.  
  
"You bitch. That's it you are gonna get it."  
  
"Really? Why don't we see about that? After all, you are the one who just crashed into a wall. You couldn't scratch me."  
  
Hokomi charged again, but in a flash Kujiro pulled out her kunai's and pinned him to the wall as she released them all.  
  
"I told you, you can't scratch me."  
  
"Kujiro, WHAT are you doing?!" Her master had returned. Kujiro was in trouble.  
  
Kujiro gasped at his sudden appearance. "Master! Hokomi threatened me and charged at me! I had to defend my self!"  
  
"Hm. What is with your eyes?"  
  
Kujiro gasped and her eyes were soon their original blue hue. "Nothing."  
  
"Hokomi! How dare you attack my student. It looks like you got what you deserved."  
  
"Saikaku! She challenged me!"  
  
Her master spoke with coldness she rarely heard. It always sent chills down her back, "It's Master Saikaku."  
  
"Master, he wouldn't leave after he came to see you. After I told him to leave he started to taunt me. Then he came at me with his sword. So I jumped up and kicked him to the wall. He came at me again so I threw my kunai's so hard they pinned him to the wall before he got a centimeter away."  
  
"Kujiro....." ~*~ ~*~  
  
"Kujiro-dono?"  
  
Kujiro gasped. She got caught up in her memories...too caught up.  
  
Kenshin now looked worried, "Kujiro-dono, is the walk to much for you?"  
  
Kujiro gave him a look, "No! Just remembering."  
  
"Don't ask she gets really weird when she has flash-backs. Just ignore her when she zones-out," Ajisai intervened.  
  
"Ajisai shut up."  
  
"Ano. Would you two like to come in?" Kenshin is sick of fighting. Kaoru always fought with Yahiko or Sano.  
  
"Sure. Kenshin, do you have any thing to drink?"  
  
"Hai, Ajisai-dono."  
  
Kenshin lead them to a room with little furniture. It only had a table and mats. Kujiro guessed it was a dining room. Kenshin sat down and motioned them to have a seat. Once they were seated he started.  
  
"Who were those men in the alley way that you killed?"  
  
Author's notes: I wanted to leave a cliff hanger...pretty sad cliff hanger, ne? I doubt that could be called a cliff hanger but I will leave cliff hangers a lot. Hehe. It's fun to leave you suspenseful! But for all those who were wondering....Haku is from Miyazaki's Spirited Away. If you knew that CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!! You get...*looks around* sorry, nothing. I doubt you want a hug, but that is where the whole magic world and stuff came from. The demon thing is from Yu Yu Hakusho. But it's also a lot like a fan fic me and my friend write together. *glares at readers* If you are going to use my characters ASK! If I find out that you stole my character...*death glare*  
  
-_-x;;; Let's just say it wont be pretty.  
  
Ja ne minna-san!  
  
Weasel 


	3. Chapter 3 Watchful Eyes

Disclaimers: Sadly I don't own RK. But does anyone know any good lawyers? No? Darn. Guess I'm stuck on fan fictions... Author's notes: The flash back and the dream are supposed to be in italic's! Then I would have to put "Dream," or "Flash back," in parentheses! . NOT FAIR! I wanted some higher level thinking going on...so you would figure it out that she was having flash-backs! DAMN! Oh well. I have no clue if you people reviewed yet while I'm writing this yet, since I just submitted my story today! I'm FREEZING! Our heat broke! -_- NOT in a good mood. Here's the chapter anyway.  
  
*****Chapter 3 ~ Watchful Eyes*****  
  
Kujiro knew that was coming. She sighed and figured she should talk otherwise Ajisai could let something slip.  
  
"After I left my master I searched for somewhere I could use my skills, for good. I was 15 years old then. I guess I was a Rurouni. So on the way I wanted to use my skills as I had said to maybe bring some honor to my tarnished family name. I found shelter at the Oniwabanshu for a year and a half; I was a ninja of the Oniwabanshu."  
  
"Oniwabanshu?" Kenshin was surprised after getting Megumi from them he was surprised that Kujiro would even want to join with them. "Why did you join with them?"  
  
"Because they were known to be great ninja's and I knew that my skills would easily get me in. I was searching for bringing my family honor so I went and Leader let me join after testing me."  
  
Kenshin didn't want to tell her about the loss of his companions. He figured that she should find out on her own since she probably didn't know and didn't want to upset her.  
  
"After a year and a half I left to continue my journey. I was about 17 then."  
  
"Aoshi let you leave?"  
  
"Hai, how do you know Leader's name is Aoshi?"  
  
"I recently meet him, but what happened after you left the Oniwabanshu?"  
  
Kujiro lifted an eyebrow at his response knowing that he was hiding something. But didn't ask.  
  
"I realized after awhile on my own that maybe I should go to the sea. On my arrival there was a sign that stated, 'Needed swordsman to protect harbor from foreigners.' That was before our harbors were opened to America. When I arrived there they were going to turn me away for being a girl. I convinced them to let me show them my skills. They brought forward an ex-hitokiri, now official. So when I nearly killed him because my skills were better than his, they assigned me to service. That's when I met Ajisai. We sorta stuck together since we were the only women there."  
  
Kenshin cut in realizing that Kujiro wasn't going to say exactly what they did unless asked, "What did you do at the harbor?"  
  
Ajisai smiled evilly, "We destroyed all that was on foreign ships since our harbors were closed to all other countries."  
  
"Oro."  
  
Kujiro intercepted, "The way Ajisai makes it sound worse. Japan's harbors are closed to all other countries for trade in fear of other countries changing our way of life," Kenshin nodded in agreement, "when the boats from other countries came they were warned to leave. When they didn't they sent me and Ajisai to rid of them. Since we were women they always underestimated us. But when Commodore Perry came from America he asked if Japan would trade with them. Of course we refused but he returned about a year later with battleships and-"  
  
"The bastard ordered that Japan open its ports for America like he was kami-sama or something. So we couldn't refuse," Ajisai growled.  
  
"But that still doesn't explain the men in the alley way."  
  
Kujiro continued, "Well after we were forced into trading with America Ajisai and I were the ones to inspect the ships. But one day one hentai [1] asshole-"  
  
Ajisai interrupted Kujiro's cursing streak and finished for her, "He grabbed Kujiro on her butt and Kujiro cut off his hand."  
  
"Orororororororo!"  
  
"It was his fault for touching me! It was instinct to cut his hand off! I don't think straight when my instincts take over."  
  
"It was pretty cool. Her eyes went steely gray, and she would have killed the guy until our superior caught sight of the situation."  
  
"ORO!"  
  
Kujiro sighed, "He got what he deserved but I was kicked off of the force because of my anger and stupid choice. And Ajisai quit when I was fired as well. It was then his crew threatened us. So Ajisai and I went undercover for a while. That pretty much leads to the alley way when they found us."  
  
"Aa. I guess you two will be staying here then."  
  
Kujiro just stared with disbelief written all over her face. She thought it would be a lot harder to convince him to let Ajisai and her stay. "Where would we stay?"  
  
Ajisai thought about this and said, "I don't need a room."  
  
"Ajisai no baka! Of course you need a room!"  
  
Keshin intercepted before Ajisai could comment, "Well I suppose we have two spare rooms here. I will just need to ask Kaoru-dono if it is alright. After all sessha doesn't want to make Kaoru angry over this. Sessha hasn't known Kaoru-dono very long but knows that she would be very angry if I told you, you could stay with out her consent!"  
  
Ajisai and Kujiro followed Kenshin through the house to where Kaoru was training Yahiko.  
  
~*~  
  
When they reached Kaoru Ajisai watched her yell at a kid. She watched as the boy tried a chop... She shook her head. He wasn't being trained harshly enough. He needed a lot more fierce training if he ever really wanted to be a worthy swordsman.  
  
Ajisai watched Kaoru smile at Kenshin at his appearance, "Hello Kenshin!" Her face fell though when she saw Ajisai and Kujiro.  
  
"Hello Kaoru-dono!"  
  
Kujiro smiled and said, "Hello, you must be Kaoru-san! What technique is that?" Ajisai could see she was trying to break the tension as usual.  
  
Kaoru looked at Kenshin and gave him a look saying, 'Why are they here?' But when Kenshin didn't respond she answered Kujiro's question, "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. It was my father's technique. It teaches how the sword protects not kill."  
  
Ajisai held her laughter and concealed it well. She had never heard such an idea! It was never even dreamt of where she came from. A sword was meant for one thing to kill. Not protect.  
  
"I see," Kujiro said, "Is it a new technique? I haven't heard of it."  
  
"Hai, it is new, uh..."  
  
"Nakao Kujiro."  
  
"Kamiya Kaoru."  
  
Ajisai figured it would be best to introduce herself, "Ajisai."  
  
Kaoru was surprised when Ajisai did not say that she had a last name. "What about your last name?"  
  
"People of my kind do not have last names. It is not a custom to have one." Ajisai said.  
  
Kujiro suddenly sensed that someone was watching her. She looked around but saw no one. It was impossible though, she knew there was something there. Was she wrong? She stared straight at the spot where the "person" should have been. But mysteriously no one was there. Her eyes narrowed and went gray, as if they would magically appear if glared at.  
  
~*~  
  
He just recently started to come to the human world to check on Sano. Sadly he could not find the other person in his life that he loved. So he watched over Sano now to see how he was. He was a little worried by these newcomers. But he felt that they were good natured. He had only realized that he was rudely staring at one of them when her beautiful blue eyes turned harsh grey. He panicked. How does she know I am here...wait, something about her ki? She has been to the spirit world before! He could tell by her sharp skills in staring straight into his eyes. He never remembered seeing her though. He would remember her beauty. Her long black hair seemed so silky to the touch, but he knew that he could never reach out and touch it. All she would feel is coldness. When her eyes were blue they seemed to have no end to them. He would easily get lost in the azul depths. He guessed that's what caused her to stare at him. Her outfit revealed more leg than hakama pants. With her arms comfortably at her sides the seams of her shorts were at her fingertips. Her skin was darker than most women's. It was probably from being in the sun a lot. He was some what surprised by her caring a sword, but pieced together the red color of her out fit, blood red. So it was harder to see when blood got on it... He heard a man ask if she was alright. He assumed that her name was Kujiro since that's what the man called her. He watched as the group walked inside to "find them rooms." But he should be getting back to the spirit world since the girl saw that he was there... well not really saw but... could sense knew he was there.  
  
~*~  
  
"Kujiro-dono, are you sure you are alright? You were acting weird outside."  
  
"I sensed someone. And I was searching for them but no one was there," her eyes widened when she realized that it had been a spirit. She wondered why a spirit would be doing out of Nochinoyo?! She would have to investigate later when Kenshin and the others were asleep.  
  
"Sessha didn't sense anyone at all."  
  
"Well I'm going to sleep. Oyasumi nasai Kenshin-san." Kujiro said that with a commanding tone signaling the end of the conversation.  
  
"Oyasumi nasai Kujiro-dono." He figured that he shouldn't press the matter when she used that tone.  
  
~*~  
  
Once she was sure that Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko were asleep she snuck outside into the woods. With a wave of her hand a door appeared. But she knew Ajisai was there.  
  
"What is it Ajisai?"  
  
Ajisai jumped down from the tree she was in, "Why are you leaving?"  
  
"I sensed a spirit from Nochinoyo. I need to speak with my master to find out why a spirit was in the human world."  
  
"A spirit? When?"  
  
"When Kenshin was asking Kaoru-san for us to have rooms. It was starring at me."  
  
Ajisai smiled wickedly, "It was starring at you? Did you see them?"  
  
"No hentai! I didn't see them but I knew someone was starring."  
  
"How do you know you just aren't going soft from not fighting that much anymore?" Ajisai gave her another mocking smile.  
  
"Because unlike you I know spirit's ki's since I lived with them for a large portion of my life. Now I'm going to speak with my Shishou about this. So if I'm not back by morning I'm training in the woods and don't want to be bothered." Before Ajisai could say any more she opened to door to Nochinoyo.  
  
Kujiro ran to her master's grand dojo. She stood a few moments outside the door unsure of whether to turn around or knock. "So long..." she breathed. Remembering her purpose she knocked on the massive doors. After a moment the door opened.  
  
"Konichi-wa. What is you business here at the dojo?" Kujiro smiled at her friend Hikage. She obviously didn't recognize her since it had been 4 years and Kujiro changed a lot!  
  
"Hikage, how could you forget? I thought you would always remember my face!"  
  
Hikage yelled in delight at seeing her good friend again, "Kujiro! What brings you back here? It's been a long time!"  
  
"Four years. I came to speak with my Shishou."  
  
"Ah. Well come in!" Hikage opened the door to her and the started walking inside the dojo down the hall, "I hope you stay a little while so we can catch up. I mean a lot happens in four years!"  
  
"I hope I can but I have no clue how long my talk with Shishou will be."  
  
They then walked into a big room were many spirits were talking with one another. But she sensed an oddly familiar ki. The one who was watching her earlier that day. She stopped walking so she could get a good look at him. She was surprised when he wore a red bandana, just like Sano. His bangs were so long they covered half of his face. He was truly a sight to behold. He must have noticed that she was looking at looked straight at her. This time she couldn't force her eyes to be steely gray.  
  
He sensed someone was watching him after awhile. He was shocked to see that it was Kujiro. But this time her stare wasn't cold as ice. He saw that she was accompanied by Hikage.  
  
"Kujiro? I thought you wanted to see your master?"  
  
Kujiro broke the stare and gathered herself, "Hai, I want to see my Shishou Nagasaki."  
  
He was born with excellent hearing and when he heard that Kujiro was Nagasaki's deshi he was surprised. He never knew that Nagasaki had an apprentice.  
  
~*~  
  
"Come in," Her shishou said before Hikage could even knock.  
  
"Master Nagasaki." Hikage lowered her head in respect.  
  
"Hikage-dono. Kujiro."  
  
Hikage left them to their privacy.  
  
"Why have you come Kujiro? After 4 years why?"  
  
"I sensed a spirit in the human world today. I just saw him downstairs. Who is the man with the red bandana?  
  
"His name is Souzou Sagara. He was the captain of the Sekihotai army."  
  
Author's note: I think that I'll stop there. *evil smile* Well our heat is working again, and I thawed out from being so cold. So how is it? Please review. I do realize it got a little screwed up with the whole Oniwabanshu thing but this is taking place after the episode with Tsubame. Keep that in mind when you read it. And It's a fan FICTION so it will be a little different. Thanks for all the reviewers! I have no clue if any one has reviewed yet because the first chapter hasn't been posted yet.  
  
Ja ne Minna-san!  
  
Weasel ^_- 


	4. Chapter 4 Answers and a little showing ...

Disclaimers: You know that I don't own RK it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure THAT out.  
  
Author's notes: I sent my story twice and it hasn't been posted yet! I feel hurt! Just kidding. But she updated again and it's still not posted!!!!!!! Knowing me I typed the wrong e-mail address twice and people are looking at my fan fiction thinking what the HELL is this? More spam?—Or Mir just didn't check her other e-mail address that she has online... possible...  
  
"Another Chance at Life" By Weasel (rokinevilweasel1029@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 4 ~ Answers and a little showing off*****  
  
~*~  
  
"The SekiHotai? Weren't they an army from the Revolution?"  
  
"Hai they were. They fought bravely for the new Era, peace, and happiness but were betrayed."  
  
"Didn't the government murder all that was involved?"  
  
"Hai, but two survived."  
  
"Sanosuke. Wait! Is Sano his son?!"  
  
"No. Sanosuke took his name after his death."  
  
"But why did they government kill the Sekihotai if they won so many battles?!"  
  
"Because the government told the Sekihotai that they were going to cut taxes so that the farmers would side with them, but the government had financial problems and used the Sekihotai as their scapegoat and blamed them for spreading rumors, and labeled them a false army."  
  
"So the Imperialists just discarded them like they did nothing?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"But Shishou that still doesn't explain why he was in Ningenkai. It still doesn't explain why he was at the dojo I am currently staying at."  
  
"A law was just passed that spirits can go and watch over their loved ones. I do not agree with it because ningens, no offense to you Kujiro, ningens could find out about Nochinoyo. It will cause a lot of trouble with this new law especially if ningens start to see the spirits."  
  
"Well the spirits do have a right to see their family. But it is true that people will probably start to see the spirits." She sighed. A lot has happened in her four years of absence. She needed an outlet for her stress. "Shishou, will you spar with me? I need to relieve some of my stress."  
  
When he laughed she couldn't help but smile. Not her usual smirk but a true smile that only he, Hikage and Ajisai have seen. "You should smile more, deshi. But I don't think you will relieve much stress since you are most likely better than me."  
  
"Oh I don't know I haven't been practicing lately. You will probably need to get me back in focus!"  
  
~*~  
  
Falling into her stance she watched as her master fell into his stance. She remembered it well. After all she uses the same one. But her master didn't know hers as well as he used to since she perfected it in her long days of travel. It was her major advantage that she knew his every move but he barely knew her moves anymore. The shinai was different from her katana. Even though it was as heavy as one it was still different.  
  
He knew perfectly it wasn't in her nature to attack first. He also knew she wouldn't unsheath it until she wanted to. She never showed her strength early. So he charged at her and to his surprised she jumped and flipped in the air.  
  
"Were did you learn that fancy flip?"  
  
"The Oniwabanshu. They are a group oh ninja's that I joined. They taught me many flips and I improved my skill with kunai's."  
  
"Aa. I will have to see that. Now why don't you take the offensive position? I would like to see if your form has faltered."  
  
Souzou was walking through the dojo when he saw Hikage. "Hello Hikage-san."  
  
"Hello Souzou-san! Will you get Master Nagasaki? I know he is talking with his deshi but he is needed at the headquarters. If they are not in his room then they will probably be sparring. I'm sorry that I couldn't it's just something happened in the kitchen and it's a mess."  
  
"Of course Hikage-san."  
  
"Arigatou Souzou-san."  
  
Souzou walked to Master Nagasaki's door but found that he was not there but faced an empty room. He walked into the empty room and looked around for any sign of him. Something was different. But the room was the same as it always looked. But there was defiantly something different. The room had the slightest smell of vanilla in it. He had never smelled that sent in the dojo before. He came out of his daze and went to the training rooms to look for Master Nagasaki. He heard his voice talking to his deshi. He silently slipped in but both sensed him.  
  
"Konichi-wa Souzou-san."  
  
"Konichi-wa Master Nagasaki. Hikage has asked me to find you. She said that you are needed at headquarters."  
  
"Arigatou Souzou-san. This is my deshi Nakao Kujiro. Deshi, this is Sagara Souzou."  
  
"Nice to meet you Kujiro-san."  
  
"And you as well Souzou-san."  
  
'Great I know have an audience.' Kujiro felt as though she would have to show off to him. Wait, what?! Why show off to him? 'Because you want to show him that you are a swordsman.' How right that voice was. Kujiro fell into her stance waiting for her Shishou to charge. When he did she jumped and flipped as usual but forced her body to land behind him. She turned to face her Masters back and unsheathed her shinai so fast it was a blur. When she hit her Master she felt a huge feeling of guilt.  
  
"Deshi, do not feel guilty to hit me. You have become much more powerful. Your form is still as good as it was and you are obviously better than me with your ninja skills and sword skills, combining them to have a great advantage in battle."  
  
Souzou was very impressed with her speed and perfect form. He thought it was perfect but Master Nagasaki always was over critical. She obviously was better than Master Nagasaki, which he thought not many people were. She couldn't be over 20 and yet she was better than her own Shishou.  
  
"Arigatou Shishou," Kujiro bowed her head in respect.  
  
"Now, I guess I have to go set those baka's at the headquarters straight again. I swear there are no smart people there."  
  
"Ja ne Shishou."  
  
"Ja ne Master Nagasaki."  
  
"Ja ne Souzou-san, deshi."  
  
When her Master left she stole a quick glance at Souzou. He defiantly wore the same bandana Sanosuke had. She didn't want to stay there with him any longer. As curious she was about this man she wanted to talk with Hikage. She quickly bare him fare well and left to find Hikage.  
  
As she walked past him he smelled Vanilla. 'Such a nice smell,' he thought. 'Whoa what am I thinking?'  
  
~*~  
  
"Kujiro! Could you clean this mess up?! The new cook messed up because he didn't pay attention!" Hikage was not in a good mood Kujiro noted.  
  
She nodded her head and with a flick of her finger the messy kitchen started to be cleaned. The food spattered on the wall was magically washed away. The melted pans assumed their original shape, and the smoke evaporated into nothing. The new cook probably wasn't paying enough attention to the food or the fire. The pans melted in the magic fires heat, like ice in a hot day. The food splattered on the walls because it was boiling so much from touching the fire.  
  
"Thank kami-sama you were here! Master Nagasaki would never have cleaned that up! So," She took Kujiro's arm and led her out into the gardens in the back of the dojo. Kujiro always thought of it more like a paradise. The garden was huge with a vast variety of flowers. It was overgrown with wild life. Kujiro's eyes caught sight of her favorite flower. The Azalea. These Azalea's were creamy white with a starburst of hot pink in the middle. They always caught her eye. She knew their smell, and whenever she smelt Azalea's it would remind her of this garden paradise. With out a second thought she picked a bunch of them and inhaled its intoxicating scent. She was in her own little world of peace. The only time she felt at peace was in the garden. She never fully let her guard down and was her unless she was there. There she was just Kujiro. Nothing else. Not any of her nicknames that people gave to her, not a manslayer, or anything. She was relaxed and her true self there. So she thought it to be a magical place. Just the way she could drop all of her troubles aside at its flower wall. It was her heaven.  
  
"Kujiro!!"  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Kujiro! You know perfectly well you aren't allowed to pick Azalea's or any other flower from this garden on that matter! I know it's been four years but even YOU would remember that rule, oh never mind you have broken it so many times I guess you haven't really changed."  
  
"Oh! Gomen nasai! Its just I forgot when I saw... I wasn't thinking."  
  
"Oh come on! A swordsman NOT thinking?! Anyway tell me your adventures over the past 4 years!"  
  
"Adventures?! Well I doubt joining a secret ninja organization is exciting! Or working at a harbor and kill all those who were in boats trying to trade with Japan."  
  
Hikage's eyes widened with shock. "You killed? Kujiro! You?! Killing?"  
  
"The people there asked me to do it to protect the people of Japan from mixing cultures and ruining our way of life. They claimed to be protecting the people of Japan and asked me if I was willing to kill for my country. The way they said it made it sound so much more gallant than it really was."  
  
"Oh. But why?"  
  
"I still can't answer that question and I think about it everyday. Why? Why do I pick these flowers? Why can't I let go of my guilt? Why can't there be peace instead of constant death? Why?"  
  
~*~  
  
"Kujiro you better get your butt back here before the ningens wake up!" Ajisai jumped down from her tree, and dusted her self off of loose bark that got on her gi and hakama pants.  
  
"What was that about me getting here before anyone wakes up?"  
  
Ajisai felt relieved at Kujiro's return. Now the ningens wouldn't be  
asking were Kujiro ran off to.  
  
"What took you so long?"  
  
"Well I had to get clothes other than my ninja outfit! What do you think I'm going to do? Go around wearing this thing for the rest of my life? No way!"  
  
"Well that one ningen is sharp. If he woke up and you weren't here he would know! I mean it's only a matter of time before they find out!"  
  
"Well I would rather gain their trust before I tell them. And if you like the feel of the sun on your face you will keep silent." As any manslayer Kujiro could make threats as if she was asking about the weather. They came naturally to Ajisai and her.  
  
"Whatever. But I need to go to town later and get some clothes as well." Ajisai looked at her gi. It wasn't as black as usual. It was a little worn from the past events, the fight, sleeping in the tree waiting for Kujiro to get back from Nochinoyo... now her hakama pants were a little tattered at the ends from the rough tree bark. "Hey Kujiro, I'm going now to go and get some new gi's and hakama pants. Just tell the others that. Ja ne."  
  
"Ja ne."  
  
Kaoru was determined to try the whole cooking thing again. This time she would make it right, and then Sano and Yahiko couldn't make fun of her. She would show that free loader and her deshi. But no matter how hard she tried her rice balls would not form a circle. (For all those who know what amebas look like, that's basically what Kaoru's rice balls looked like.) She started to get pissed off. Why can a former manslayer make a rice ball and a girl can't?! WHY? Just as Kaoru was about to throw the rice in fury,  
  
"Ano, but the rice isn't fully cooked. That's why it's so sticky and sticking to your hands."  
  
Kaoru looked into Kujiro's face and then down at her hands. Funny, she didn't notice that her hands were covered in rice when she was frustrated but now that she calmed down it was obvious at the sticky feeling her hands had.  
  
"You can't exactly make rice balls when the rice is on your hand, ne?"  
  
Not the right thing to say. Kaoru had a feeling of explosion before but now... now she snapped, and let loose, "WELL EXCUSE ME! MAYBE YOU SHOULD COOK MISS-I-KNOW-IT-ALL!"  
  
Kaoru watched as she was yelling at Kujiro's tranquil face. It just made her even more pissed off that Kujiro looked like she was dazing out.  
  
"I guess I will then. Since breakfast isn't ready yet." Kujiro gave Kaoru her best kind smile so that Kaoru wouldn't blow up at her last remark.  
  
Kaoru watched as Kujiro perfectly cooked the rice, formed it into nice rice balls and make miso soup. Then a thought popped into her head, 'What is with manslayers and being good cooks? Why can't for once, why can't I just make something right?'  
  
Yahiko awoke with a start. "Whoa, that was a messed up dream. Busu cooking, and it tasting good... what a nightmare." Something smelled really good. The smell of miso soup filled the Kamiya home. "Oh god, maybe that dream wasn't a dream. But that's impossible for busu to not mess up cooking." When Yahiko walked in and sat down, almost immediately a plate of rice balls and miso soup was set in front of him. He saw that Kaoru gave him the dish and gulped. Even though it smelled good and looked normal he wouldn't let looks deceive him. After all he thought that busu's personality couldn't be worse than her looks but... how wrong he was. He took a bite out of the rice ball and was shocked over it's taste. It tasted great. The rice was cooked just right, not under cooked or burned. "Busu, did you make this? Oh god that dream is true."  
  
"Busu?! Yahiko! Stop calling me that! But no I didn't make it. Kujiro made it after I tried."  
  
Yahiko thanked the gods that Kujiro and Ajisai came. Now his meals would taste good. His taste buds wouldn't have to taste busu's cooking a lot anymore.  
  
"Is it that good?" Kujiro always liked to hear that people liked her cooking.  
  
"It's great! A lot better than busu's sad attempts at cooking!"  
  
"YAHIKO!"  
  
"Maa, maa! What smells so good?"  
  
"Kujiro made rice balls and Miso soup! It's great!"  
  
"Oh thank-you Kujiro-dono!"  
  
"Why does it smell so good? Surely it couldn't be Jo-chan's cooking," Sano casually said as he walked in.  
  
"If you don't like my cooking why do you keep coming back?!"  
  
"Because I have no money! Now that I quit the fighter-for-hire business I'm broke!"  
  
"Fighter-for-hire?" Kujiro heard of them. But she never thought that a former Sekihotai would get involved in that stuff.  
  
"Yeah. You may have heard of me, I'm Zanza."  
  
"Aa, I have."  
  
"Wait where is Ajisai-dono?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Oh! She is buying gi's and hakama's, since hers are a little old now, she should be back soon," Kujiro replied.  
  
"But I still don't know who cooked breakfast?"  
  
"Oh! I did, please tell me if you like it!"  
  
Sano looked at the food and took mouth fulls at once. It was the best meal he had in a long time. Between mouthfuls he managed to reply, "Fantastic!"  
  
Kujiro tensed up so quickly it looked more like she twitched. 'Why is he here?'  
  
Author's Notes: Well there is my chapter. My person-who-reads-my-stories- and-judges-them (Crystal Renee, read ALL her stories on tfme AND fanfiction.net!) brought to my attention that people may not like my story because it isn't in the Kenshin-gumi's POV or centered on them. Well is it so horrible to have something different? I just wanted to make this story, so if you like it good for you, if you don't, suffer my wrath! NO! JUST KIDDING! If you don't like it I could honestly care less, all of this is recreational so think what you would like; I don't want you to like it because I tell you too! But please kindly review so I know that you really do like it! ^_^  
  
Weasel ^__^;; 


	5. Chapter 5 The letter

THIS IS THE FINAL CHAPTER 5!!!!!! THE OTHER WASN'T COMPLETE SINCE IT MESSED UP WHEN I POSTED! *smacks self* BAD Author!  
  
Disclaimers: How many times to I have to tell you I don't own Rurouni Kenshin? Hmm? How many?  
  
Author's notes: Ever since I said that Kujiro smelled like vanilla I wanted every thing that smelled vanilla! And we were taking a Spanish midterm today and I had the urge to write Kujiro on the front of the paper when I was putting my name in... maybe it's because I have been writing her name too much? But we might not have school tomorrow! YAY! But the school website isn't promising any closings yet but if we get the snow we are supposed to then *starts to sing "No school Tomorrow!" ^_^ Here is the chapter...  
  
"Another Chance at Life" By Weasel (rokinevilweasel1029@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 5 ~ The letter*****  
  
Ajisai walked in the kitchen at the moment Kujiro flinched, "What's wrong Kujiro?"  
  
"Nothing, it's nothing. My muscles just sorta freaked out on me that's all." Kujiro smiled to reassure Ajisai that she was fine. 'Why the hell was her master in Ningenkai of ALL places!? He rarely comes here; I need to think of a way to excuse myself without causing suspicion...' Kujiro sat up and went to leave,  
  
"Kujiro where are you going?"  
  
'Damn Ajisai! Always the curious one, great.' Kujiro turned around to reply, "Oh I am going to train and then take a bath!"  
  
"Oh, did you make breakfast," Ajisai inquired.  
  
"Hai, now if you will excuse me," Kujiro, once out of sight silently began to run to the forest to greet her master.  
  
"Konichi-wa Shishou!"  
  
"Konichi-wa Deshi. I have something for you," Her master then took out a sealed note.  
  
Kujiro just looked at it, "Who is it from?"  
  
Nagasaki smirked a little before replying, "It's from Sagara Souzou."  
  
Kujiro froze. Why would he write a note and why would her master be the delivery boy?  
  
"Ano, Shishou why are you delivering this?"  
  
"Because I was coming here on business of the Head Quarters and Souzou-san asked me if I could give this to you since he couldn't come back yet."  
  
"Come back yet?!"  
  
"Hai, a spirit can only visit once in every few days. He has used that yesterday and can't come back for a while, I was going to drop it in your room but your ki sensing skills obviously improved to know I was here. I must go now deshi. Ja ne."  
  
"Ja ne," Kujiro was a little surprised from her master's sudden arrival and this letter from Souzou. She figured she would read it while she bathed after training.  
  
~*~  
  
After breakfast Ajisai went out to walk around to find Kenshin doing... THE LAUNDRY?! Whoa!  
  
"Ano Kenshin-san? Why are YOU doing the laundry?!"  
  
"Oro? Sessha is doing the laundry because it needs to be done."  
  
"But, why doesn't Kaoru-san do it? Why you?!"  
  
"Sessha doesn't mind doing the laundry; Sessha actually likes it a little."  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
Kenshin smiled his famous rurouni smile at her, "Hai I find it relaxing."  
  
Ajisai just starred at him and muttered, "Whatever. I don't think I will ever get how you can find that relaxing, especially with your past and all."  
  
"Oro?"  
  
Ajisai rolled her eyes, was he really this clueless all the time, "The red hair, and the scar. I have heard of the hitokiri battousai as being a legend from the revolution, his only distinguishing marks would be his hair and his scar."  
  
Kenshin wondered, 'Why does my past always come back to haunt me? Why can't I just have black hair or brown hair like ever one else?' (A/N: But then you wouldn't be you, Kenshin!!) 'Then you wouldn't be you no baka.'  
  
Ajisai watched Kenshin waiting for his response. She became bored and went to rest in a tree.  
  
"Oh hey Kujiro, are you training?"  
  
"What does it look like I'm doing? Picking flowers for a bouquet?!"  
  
Ajisai replied sarcastically, "I never knew that you picked flowers with katana's."  
  
"I'm training no baka."  
  
"I know THAT," Ajisai then spotted an addressed letter a few feet from Kujiro, and it had her FULL name on it! "What the hell?! Why would Kujiro get mail? Not many people know that Kujiro is her real name. Ajisai quickly ran to fetch it before Kujiro could stop her. She said in the most annoying and mocking innocent voice possible, "My, my, my! Who on earth would write to you? I mean not many people know you real name. Is it you BOYFRIEND?!"  
  
Kujiro froze when Ajisai said that. Kujiro soon felt her body heat with anger and annoyance at Ajisai's mocking. "I do not have a boyfriend," her reply was smothered with venom.  
  
"OOOOHH! Touchy eh? I guess it really is from your boyfriend," Ajisai laughed maniacally.  
  
It just pissed Kujiro off even more, "I have no clue what is inside that letter Ajisai, give it back." She wasn't really pissed off anymore; more like anxious to get the letter back before Ajisai could read any of it. It wouldn't be good when she read that it was from Souzou. She played Ajisai's reactions in her head, one thing would be for Ajisai to taunt her forever about it and never let her go one day with out hearing the contents of the letter recited to her, or Ajisai would just stand there and laugh her head off. But the more Kujiro thought about it, the two possibilities would most likely happen. Great.  
  
"You don't know?! Well let's read it aloud and find out!" With that Ajisai ran off before Kujiro could stop her.  
  
"No! Ajisai get back here! Give me the damn letter!"  
  
"Never! Let's start to read it..."  
  
Kujiro bolted off to chase after her and try to stop her from reading it.  
  
"Dear Kujiro-san... ooooOOOooohhh!"  
  
"AJISAI!"  
  
"I just wanted to say that I am sorry from staring at you yesterday during my visit to ningenkai," Ajisai stopped running when she read that line and burst out laughing.  
  
'I knew it. She would never let me live this one down.' Kujiro was at her side shortly after Ajisai stopped running and snatched the letter from Ajisai's grasp,  
  
"Dear Kujiro-san,  
  
I am sorry for staring at you yesterday during my stay at ningenkai. I realize how rude my acts were and I hope you can forgive me. I just wanted to see Sanosuke; I hope that I haven't made a bad impression on you. Maybe we shall see each other again in Nochinoyo.  
  
Ja ne Kujiro-san,  
Sagara Souzou.  
  
"One question, is Souzou your boyfriend?!"  
  
"NO! I don't have a boyfriend no baka! I just was introduced to him by my master!"  
  
"Then why did he say he is sorry for STARRING AT YOU, if you met him through your master? Any way is that the same guy that was starring at you and you went to Nochinoyo to find out who he was?!"  
  
"Hai," Kujiro knew what was coming next. She would never go a day with out hearing this.  
  
Ajisai just fell down laughing hysterically. She was laughing so hard she couldn't talk or breathe and after a while had to stop for a breather, "I think... someone likes... you!"  
  
"Urusai! I don't know him! How could anyone like each other in 5 minutes flat?!"  
  
Ajisai just smiled at her friend's stupidity.  
  
Kujiro just walked off winding in and out of the trees moving towards the bath house. She read the letter over to try and find any hint of what Ajisai accused. She couldn't even relax in the bath which was the only thing relatively close that gave her the closer the garden gave her. To try and relax after her bath she got her new sketch book that she hid in the folds of her clothes, and went down to the river to sketch it. She couldn't get the image of Souzou out of her head so she decided to draw him to hopefully get rid of it. It turned out better than her scene of the river. She decided then to draw all of her new friends, and old ones. By the time she was done it was evening and she had a view of the sunset and drew it. (A/N: Is that right?! I haven't a clue! It doesn't sound grammatically correct!)  
  
~*~  
  
"Kaoru, do you know where Yahiko is? I haven't seen him all day," Kenshin calmly asked.  
  
"Oh after training he went to help at the Akabeko," Kaoru replied.  
  
"Is there something bothering you Kaoru-dono?"  
  
Kaoru was a little troubled. It was the two new editions to her home, Kujiro and Ajisai. She didn't know if she could trust them, "Kenshin, do you think that we can trust those two?"  
  
Kenshin sighed and replied, "I questioned them and I could tell they weren't lying."  
  
"So who were those men in the alleyway?!"  
  
"Ajisai and Kujiro used to assassinate all the people on foreign boats trying to trade with Japan-"  
  
"THEY WHAT?!"  
  
"Please Kaoru-dono, they told them they would be protecting their country from drastic un-wanted change. And when Japan was forced to open its ports to America they just checked the boats to inspect them. But Kujiro cut off one mans hand because he inappropriately touched her. She was fired and Ajisai quit after Kujiro was fired."  
  
"I still don't know Kenshin, I mean they are violent! Kujiro cut off the man's hand!"  
  
"Do you have some thing against assassins?"  
  
Kaoru's mouth gaped open, "Oh no! Of course not Kenshin!"  
  
Author's notes: hehe, the irony huh? Kaoru not trusting people because they used to be assassins. Hypocrite maybe? Hehe. Any way that is the chapter. Review please, make me be motivated, even if it is a bad review about how you hate my story it still motivates me... I know I am a weird person.  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Weasel ^_^ 


	6. Chapter 6 Does He Deserve Another Chanc...

Disclaimer: If I actually owned Rurouni Kenshin it would probably wouldn't make it to TV so maybe its better that I don't own it, ne? Author's Notes: Hello! I finally figured out how to post one chapter on one page on ff.net so now I think that I am going to fix it and make it so that there aren't 4 and a half chapters on one page. But I changed the wording in chapter five a little to make it clearer, nothing major. You don't even have to go back and read it again 'cause it's at the end of the chapter. I don't really think that this should be called author's notes. It should be like author's... I don't know but why don't you tell me. Any way here is the chapter-  
  
"Another Chance at Life" By Weasel (rokinevilweasel1029@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 6 ~ Does He Deserve Another Chance?******  
  
"Hey Kujiro, are you going to make dinner," Yahiko asked.  
  
Kujiro looked up from her sketch at Yahiko, "Oh, yeah. Sure."  
  
"Whoa! Did you draw those?"  
  
Kujiro smiled, "Yeah, lets go get dinner ready Yahiko." She didn't really want him to look through it. She stuffed the letter in the sketch book and left it there on the porch and only hoped that the wind would blow it away.  
  
~*~  
  
During dinner Kaoru was uneasy. Her conversation with Kenshin didn't go the way she had planned and before she could apologize Kujiro called that dinner was ready. Kaoru wasn't sure what to say even at the thought of apologizing. Oh Kami-sama. It bothered her until she finally fell asleep.  
  
~*~  
  
By the time Sano was done on his night out drinking it was some unpleasant hour of the morning and he didn't have a place to stay. It took him a while in his drunken state to think of the dojo. He knew that the gate was always unlocked, so when he got there he just passed out on the porch. He was too tired to realize what he was lying on.  
  
He awoke with a major headache and a sore back. When he sat up he saw why his back was so sore. He was sleeping on a book the entire night. He looked down and saw that a letter was sticking out of the book with familiar writing on it. Sano forgot his headache and focused on the letter. He had not seen that hand writing since the revolution. He picked it up and saw the date, "No this can't be right." He knew it was wrong and read the letter. He started of thinking of all the explanations that could explain the date and such. 'She couldn't have been older than 9 years old when he was alive!'  
  
He looked back at the book he was sleeping on and looked at the page that the letter came from. The sight made his headache worse than ever. But the pain wasn't just in his head, there was a minor pain coming from his chest at the sight of his fallen leader. He couldn't stop his shaking, it just wouldn't stop. But he tensed up at the sound of hurried footsteps.  
  
Before he could react the letter and the book were gone from his sight. He looked up to see harsh blue eyes staring at him.  
  
"Why," was all Kujiro could think of saying or asking, for seeing the questions that Sano would ask... 'Should I tell him the truth? Or make up excuses?'  
  
"How do you know Captain Sagara," Sano asked evenly.  
  
Kujiro felt all her excuses and all her composure abandon her and leave her clueless on what to say except, "Nani?" (A/N: Japanese word for 'What')  
  
Sano was getting annoyed with the way she was trying to avoid conversation, "How do you know Captain Souzou Sagara?" It was more of a demand than a question.  
  
Kujiro didn't have the heart to tell him, "Who gave you permission to look through my personal things?"  
  
"Stop avoiding my questions."  
  
Sano then opened up her sketch book to the sketch of Souzou. Kujiro started to wish she sucked at drawing.  
  
"How do you know him?"  
  
Kujiro lowered her head. 'He deserves the truth, even though it will just hurt him...'  
  
"I met him," She just said the obvious facts.  
  
"When?"  
  
"It may sound crazy but, I met him 2 days ago."  
  
"You better not be lying to me."  
  
Kujiro looked disgusted, "I never lie, I may be sarcastic and I may exaggerate but I don't lie. I have a strict honor code and I stick to it."  
  
"Is killing included in that honor code?"  
  
Kujiro restrained herself from yelling at him, instead she said in a venomous voice, "You have no clue what I have been through, don't even go there."  
  
Sano looked as though he wasn't effected at all. 'So she thinks she had a hard life?'  
  
"How the hell could you have met Captain Sagara 2 days ago unless you're some type of witch."  
  
Kujiro wasn't sure how to respond to that. She sheepishly grinned and said, "Well... ano, hehe. Uh, you see... I am a wikka not a witch. Witches are creatures of evil in Nochinoyo, but wikka's are ones from nature. And if you don't believe me then don't."  
  
"I am not believing a thing until you prove it."  
  
Kujiro smirked. 'Well what spell should I use?'  
  
'She is just trying to think of some loser excuse to get out of the questions.' "Are you going to prove it to me or stand there thinking of a way out?"  
  
Finally deciding on one she replied coolly, "Oh, you mean prove this?" She said a few foreign words and flicked out her pointer finger and a small flame lit out of no-where. The flame started to dance from the wind on her pointer finger. After the wind died down the flame magically grew and turned a purple/black flame. All Sano could do is watch with huge eyes. Kujiro then wrote out "Sanosuke Sagara," in flames. Kujiro then waved her hand and the flames died away without a trace left behind.  
  
"Do you believe me now Sano?"  
  
Sano was still in awe, "Hai. So you are a wikka? And you have magik?"  
  
'What a stupid question.' "No with the wonderful mind power I have the flames created themselves... hai no baka I have magik."  
  
'Hm... maybe she could...' "So what is your most powerful...thing."  
  
"My most powerful [i]spell[/i] is reincarnation."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Bringing the dead from their graves no baka."  
  
"Oh," A light bulb just flicked on in Sano's head. 'Captain Sagara...'  
  
Kujiro saw the way his face changed as though he just made a discovery of some sort. Her eyebrow cocked up waiting for an explanation.  
  
"Hey, you think you could bring back Captain Sagara?"  
  
"NANI?!!!"  
  
"Yeah, you said that it was your most powerful spell."  
  
'Why do I have to be so stupid and shoot my mouth off all the time?!' "Um Sano, it's the spell that is very powerful but it takes the most energy and I have never performed it before on a human!"  
  
"But you controlled the fire! I mean it can't be that hard!?"  
  
"No baka! It could kill me!"  
  
"Wait you said that you never used it before on a human."  
  
'Whoa I never thought Sano could be that cunning!' "Sano I have only performed the spell of sairai on ANIMALS. When you do that it's a totally different procedure!"  
  
"On animals?! Why animals?!"  
  
'Damn...' "To give me experience with the spell."  
  
"So that means you have experience with it!"  
  
"Sano! You don't understand! First of all I need to see if Sagara-san actually deserves it! Second of all, it takes great power to cast the spell and even if I don't die it means my magik will be gone for Kami-sama knows how long."  
  
"But he really does! Those dirty Imperialist pigs went behind the Seki-hotai's backs! They murdered everyone!"  
  
"So why should [i]just[/i] the captain come back to life? Why not another soldier in his place?"  
  
"Because it was Captain Sagara who lead us as a strong leader. He was the one who trained us and lead us to battle with no fear in his heart."  
  
Kujiro had this feeling that she should, but then she would be vulnerable without her magik but something told her to do it. Regardless of the consequences she had that gut feeling. "Sano I need to think about this. Tell Ajisai when she wakes up that you know about my magik... I'm going to Nochinoyo, don't count on me being back by tonight. This is a tough decision."  
  
Sano nodded and watched Kujiro run off in the direction of the river.  
  
She weaved through the trees that were on the other side of the river, she quickly said her spell and the old door opened to Nochinoyo. She opened it and sealed the door so no one could get through and ran through the forest to get to the garden. She finally got there and jogged along the flower paths until she came to a part where there were more trees than flowers. Somewhere ahead she heard music, intrigued she followed off of her usual path to see who played such music. She came to a clearing were she saw a man crouched and playing... A PIECE OF GRASS?! 'What the?!'  
  
~*~  
  
As he played his song he sensed another... It was Kujiro. He stopped playing when he saw her seated Indian style in front of him. She obviously didn't care if it wasn't woman-like. From the way she was carefree about sitting that way that she did what she wanted.  
  
"Oh don't stop playing," Kujiro exclaimed.  
  
"You like it," Souzou asked.  
  
"Yeah, but how do you play a piece of grass?!"  
  
"You can do a lot of things with it. Like this," he then clasped his hands around the grass and blew on it. A sound of a duck rang through the clearing.  
  
"That was you?!"  
  
Souzou laughed, "Yeah."  
  
They both sensed it. Souzou wasn't sure of what it was but knew it was an enemy. Kujiro knew exactly what they were and stood up.  
  
"Here take this, you'll need it," Kujiro handed Souzou her katana that she always had with her.  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"Demons from Makai..."  
  
She couldn't finish her sentence because a group of disfigured things came into the clearing. Some had claws some were blue, some had one eye and others had multiple arms.  
  
Souzou saw that Kujiro was now unarmed. "What about you? You have no weapon?!"  
  
She smirked, her face telling all, 'Oh-you'll-see.'  
  
"So, who are you," Kujiro asked lazily.  
  
"You killed our comrades, and you now shall pay for those actions," a demon that was the obvious leader.  
  
She rolled her eyes, "When will you understand that I killed them because I was on a mission and that I was a better swordsman and that you revenge attempts wont work?!"  
  
"If we take his life it will," the leader replied.  
  
"Don't drag him in, I barely know him."  
  
"Then why does he have a sword?"  
  
"Because I wasn't born yesterday. I know you like to fight dirty."  
  
The demon smiled, "Kill them both."  
  
Most of the demons went for Kujiro and only 2 went for Souzou thinking that he would be easy prey. But Souzou was very skilled with his sword, even if it wasn't his own. The demons stupidly underestimated him.  
  
Kujiro on the other hand was being attacked by a few demons at once. She jumped up and grabbed her kunai's to release them. As fast as she could she retrieved them and went to fight with another demon using his claws like kunai's.  
  
Souzou watched as one demon took out a knife and got ready to through it at Kujiro while she was preoccupied. He yelled, "WATCH OUT!" Just as the demon went to through it. Kujiro realized in time to jump and through a kunai of hers at the demon killing it. The demon that she was facing before was hit with the kunai intended for her hitting him in his heart. Kujiro was thankful that she didn't have to endure that much pain.  
  
Now only the leader was left, and to Kujiro's satisfaction a look of realization hit his face. She decided to get it over with and charged at him with her great speed and pierced his heart with her kunai. Her outfit was smeared with his black blood and her hands as well. But this wasn't enough to bring him down. He writhed on the floor, if Kujiro wasn't there he might have survived and Kujiro felt guilt run through her and decided to end his pain.  
  
"You are an assassin?"  
  
Kujiro turned to look at Souzou. 'Wow he must really have no clue what Shishou really does do for the Nochinoyo government.' "WAS an assassin, I have to go wash off. Ano (um) can I have my katana back?"  
  
Souzou handed her the katana with out a word. He was speechless, he knew that she was good with a sword but he never thought a person like her could be an assassin. But then again she did what she pleased.  
  
Kujiro took her sword back and strapped it back in place. There was an odd silence, and being active and always hearing noises Kujiro was almost to the point of fidgeting when she realized she needed a bath. "Ano, but I'm sorry about that whole thing and I hope you will understand. But I need to clean this up and my self. So if you'll excuse me..."  
  
She mumbled a spell that cleaned up the mess and all the blood seemed to seep into the ground without leaving a trace. The bodies withered away as though it was decomposing much faster than normal and decomposed into nothing.  
  
Souzou was awed by this but remembered that her Shishou was Nagasaki a famed warlock, so how could he not teach his apprentice magik? But realizing by her body language that she wanted to leave and clean up he said, "I understand. I will leave so that you can clean yourself up."  
  
Kujiro smiled gratefully and sped off towards another part of the gardens were there we hot springs which she loved to go into in high stress. When she got there and got into the steamy hot water her thoughts went back to Sano's request. Should she bring him back? She remembered how he just squatted playing the grass like a flute and how he... he saved her. She owed him a life debt. She HAD to bring him back now.  
  
After she was done bathing she ran out of the forest to a good source of information that would answer her questions that developed in the hot springs. She arrived to the shady part of the town running past merchants and the people that roamed the streets going into an alley way. She quickly found the secret entrance to a pub were she knew he usually would be.  
  
Once she walked in people looked at her. It wasn't everyday that Nagasaki's people came. They knew her well because she busted them many times before. But today she was looking for someone which made them all feel uneasy making the air around tense.  
  
Kujiro found the guy she wanted to talk to and went up behind him, "Sasaki get your ass outside." Her eyes were a cold threatening grey if he dare say no to her.  
  
He heard her voice and instantly knew that it was Kujiro. He sighed and got up and walked out of the pub. Kujiro followed, leaving a confused audience behind.  
  
Once she stepped outside, "Are you here to arrest me or get some needed information?"  
  
Kujiro smirked, yep, he defiantly would get her, her information, "I want to find out about a dead guys past."  
  
"Then why did you have that whole act up in there? I actually thought you were coming to bust me."  
  
"If I do find out that you are doing something illegal you wont be seeing a pub for a long time. I will. Now let's get going I'm in a hurry."  
  
"What ever, follow me."  
  
Kujiro followed through a maze of allies until he stopped and looked around. He then unlocked the door and walked in. She hesitantly followed. She walked in and saw some type of record library. "Oh you know that you are gonna get locked away for keeping all these records right?"  
  
"Well I thought I would propose a deal for you."  
  
"I don't make deals with people like you. Just show me were I can find Souzou Sagara's file and tomorrow you'll wake up in a nicer cell with no one else to share it with."  
  
"What makes you think I will show you?"  
  
She rolled her eyes, "Do you really want to know?!"  
  
Sasaki looked at her blade. He would rather not press his chances with Kujiro when her eyes were grey like that. "Fine, you don't have to force me, I'll show ya."  
  
After reading his profile she concluded that he was a wise person and the people around him loved him. He also had a great impact on people's lives. After this information was revealed she decided that Sano was right. He did deserve another chance.  
  
"I suppose you taking me in now?"  
  
"Don't be so snobby Sasaki."  
  
Kujiro took him to the prison that spirit world had and left for the dojo to get the ingredients she would need. She decided that she didn't want Hikage to see her for she would make a racket that she was there.  
  
She snuck through a window to a training room and left to go upstairs to take ingredients from her old room. When she walked in she saw that it was kept clean and nothing had been sifted through. She moved her futon and lifted the floor boards it lay on. She took out the ingredients she needed and replaced the boards and futon. She always kept that supply under there just incase. The only thing she needed now was his body.  
  
JESSICA SARROW: Aw, thanks! I'm glad that you like it!!! ^_^ I like your story too.  
  
KAWAII LARA-CHAN: Thanks! I like the story too Kujiro: you kidna have to... But I'm glad that you like the whole two different world's thing. I was afraid people wouldn't like it!  
  
Author's Notes: Well, that chapter was like ALL in Kujiro's POV. I will try to get some more of the Kenshin-gumi back in the picture... I got a little carried away, but the next chapter WILL have the Kenshin-gumi's POV!!!!! Until then...  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Weasel 


	7. Chapter 7 Getting Started

Author's Notes: Wwweeellllllllll. IF I DON'T GET [i]SOME[/i] REVIEWS I'M NOT UPDATING!!! I just want to know that some people are actually reading this story... But I really want people to review. I don't care if it's a flamer either, it's still a review! Even if it is a flamer, but if it is really bad I will flame you right back... and trust me it won't be pretty...  
  
Sano: oh trust me... She can be one cruel authoress sometimes!  
  
Another Chance at Life By Weasel1029 (rokinevilweasel@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 7 ~ Getting Started*****  
  
Ajisai woke that morning with a head ache. 'Hm, maybe it's the fact that I fell from the tree I was sleeping in... I hope Kujiro made breakfast, damn I'm hungry!'  
  
Ajisai's stomach whined in protest when she walked into the kitchen to find nothing... (A/N:*cricket, cricket* Sorry I had to...) Ajisai pouted, she wasn't used to making breakfast herself. She nearly burned down the apartment that Kujiro and her shared when they worked together. Let's just say that Kujiro never let Ajisai go into the kitchen unsupervised again. Ajisai didn't feel like doing anything else at the moment and started to pick out the twigs from her hair since they were still there from falling down.  
  
"What happened to you," Sano asked.  
  
Ajisai frowned, "I fell out of the tree I was sleeping in."  
  
Sano cracked up, "You [i]sleep[/i] in trees?!"  
  
"They are rather comfortable once you get used to them."  
  
"What losers sleep in trees?"  
  
"Oh stop giving me reasons to hurt you," Ajisai replied in a flat tone.  
  
The change in Sano's face surprised Ajisai. At first she thought that it was because of her threat but there was an underlying meaning to it. Ajisai wanted to find out what the subtle smugness in his face was about, "What is it?"  
  
"I know about Kujiro."  
  
Ajisai cocked her eyebrow, 'Well, there is more than one secret that Kujiro and I have. Maybe he just knows that she wasn't just a man slayer in Kyoto... Well I wasn't either. But I'm sure she wouldn't tell him that she was a wicca this early... Kami-sama (God) she better not have.'  
  
"And what did Kujiro tell you exactly Sano?" Ajisai asked with interest.  
  
"About her magic and stuff..."  
  
Ajisai was shocked. 'Was she really that stupid to tell him like that?!'  
  
"Why would Kujiro tell YOU?!"  
  
Sano was a little offended by that. 'why does everyone think I'm an idiot?'  
  
"Why wouldn't she?"  
  
"She's smarter that THAT."  
  
"Hey, I'm not stupid, you loser."  
  
Ajisai just rolled her eyes, "I mean she's not as stupid to go blabbing all her secrets to people she doesn't know. Even rooster heads."  
  
Sano HATED that stupid nickname! She didn't' even know him and she already was calling him a rooster head, "Don't say that!"  
  
"Oooohhh. Touchy? Well then Rooster head..." She blocked out his rants and went into thought. "Kujiro is clever, she must have not had the right amount of time to get herself out of it as she always does.' She smirked remembering Kujiro getting her out of trouble,  
  
~*~ ~*~  
  
[i] Ajisai looked through the food stores they ship had. None of the blood from her victims got on the food, Kujiro was up on deck checking that all were dead. She sensed Kujiro coming down.  
  
"They're all dead." She said in a flat voice with no emotion what-so- ever as though she was talking about the weather.  
  
Ajisai looked at her. Kujiro's hands had blood on them and her outfit was stained with it. But you couldn't tell since it was black and it just looked wet unlike hers. She had blood stains on her grey hakama and black gi. Something in Kujiro's face said something was wrong.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Kujiro's eyes were grey, not good. She icily replied, "We attacked the wrong ship."  
  
Ajisai's eyes widened. 'Death.' The penalty for attacking the wrong ship. "Wait are you sure?!"  
  
Kujiro nodded her head, "But there can be a way out of this whole thing..."  
  
Ajisai doubted that, "Yeah what would that be?!"  
  
"It's rather simple, we just get paint and repaint over the ship title giving it a name of another ship."  
  
"Where are we going to get the paint genius?"  
  
"Ships always have paint to repair war damages no baka."  
  
"Oh! Good idea!"  
  
They found letter tracers (A/N: I have no clue what they are called) and paint. They hung off the boat and painted the letters to say, "Santa Maria."  
  
~*~  
  
The inspector came around, every one hated the bastard. He was a very critical man. Ajisai hated the fact that he yelled at them when they didn't have a clean cut. Who was HE to criticize?! He wasn't even a swordsman. She could kill him and no one would care, they would probably congratulate her. But her contract was for about another year. Kujiro and her had both agreed to not re-sign the contract and travel around the world. Maybe even being fighters-for-hire when they needed money.  
  
The inspector's critical eyes examined the dead men. Ajisai was thrown off when he smiled. "These cuts, they are nice and clean, but..." He looked over board to look at the ships name to make sure they got the right enemy ship. Oddly, the paint was wet. Suspicion grew as he examined it a little longer. "Why is the ships name wet? The paint is fresh, I can smell it."  
  
Ajisai stood hiding all emotions, but she was panicking. Thankfully Kujiro had a response,  
  
"Oh, it was like that when we got on board Sir. You see I guess pirates attacked them and they had to repair the ship. So they probably just patched that part of the ship up." Kujiro sounded as she did before. Emotionless, Ajisai could tell that she was making it up as she went. She had worked along with her for a long time and had a sense when she was lying, not many could. She had a creative mind that could think of excuses quickly; her ki was always calm when she did it. But there was a small change that only skilled swordsman could really tell. And her fellow colleges were not very skilled.  
  
And the inspector took the bait, as excepted. Kujiro flipped him the finger when his back was turned. Ajisai stifled a laugh and waited for the inspector to be out of ear shot to laugh. Kujiro cracked a smile as well and was soon laughing. Why they were laughing? Maybe because the inspector was so stupid, or that they almost died...[/i]  
  
~*~ ~*~  
  
Sano was annoyed; Ajisai wasn't listening to what he was saying or his rants about her being dead. The far away look in her eyes was pissing him off.  
  
"AJISAI!"  
  
"What?!" She snapped back.  
  
"You were day dreaming!"  
  
"Oh Kami-sama, I'm getting like Kujiro day dreaming... But why did she tell YOU?!"  
  
"I found a letter."  
  
Ajisai smiled evilly, 'Oh, THAT letter! Man! I wish I was there! It would have been hilarious!' Ajisai started to laugh at the thought. She couldn't help it.  
  
Sano was a little weirded out by this girl, 'Man is she weird.'  
  
Kenshin walked out to see a hunched over Ajisai and a slightly urked out Sano. Kenshin smiled, but it soon turned into a frown realizing that he couldn't sense Kujiro-dono's ki any where.  
  
"Ajisai-dono where is Kujiro-dono?"  
  
"Oh she is out doing stuff."  
  
"What [i]stuff[/i]?  
  
"Oh, well Kenshin you see-"  
  
"Urusai baka tori atama!" (Shut up idiot rooster head) Ajisai yelled.  
  
This only increased Kenshin's curiosity. They were hiding something about Kujiro's where-a bout's.  
  
"Where is Kujiro-dono?" this time his voice was a little stern.  
  
Ajisai sighed. She didn't really know where Kujiro was but she had an idea, probably Nochinoyo. 'I might as well tell them while she is gone.'  
  
"Kenshin-san, you should get Yahiko, and Kaoru here, then I'll tell you."  
  
Now Kenshin was totally confused and let a soft oro escape his lips.  
  
When everyone was there, Ajisai got apprehensions. Would they accept her? Would they accept them both?  
  
"Alright, I'm not gonna sugar coat this. That's just not the way I am. You see Kujiro is a Wicca and I am a demon. Kujiro was taken by her master to Nochinoyo where she grew up, and learned the sword and magic. I am a water demon; I'm about 500 years old... I lost count. So you can let us stay here, we pose no threat to you. If you let us stay here we will both be very thankful, if not, it was nice knowing ya."  
  
Yahiko, Kaoru, and Kenshin were all confused on how to respond.  
  
"Wait, that's impossible! I mean, isn't it Kenshin?!" Kaoru didn't know what to do.  
  
"Ajisai-dono isn't lying Kaoru-dono."  
  
Sano was in shock that Ajisai was a demon, but wasn't so sure that he could not believe her after what Kujiro showed him. "It's true. Kujiro showed me, it was amazing. She spoke some ancient language and a fire appeared in her palm. She then made it get bigger and go black and spelled out my name in the fire, then she made it disappear... it was amazing!"  
  
Ajisai raised her eyebrow in interest, "Kujiro did that trick with me too."  
  
"That's awesome! I hope Kujiro can teach me!" Yahiko exclaimed. Since Kenshin wasn't going to teach him his sword style, maybe Kujiro would teach him her magic... That would be awesome.  
  
"Don't get your hopes up kid," Sano replied.  
  
Yahiko growled, "I'M NOT A KID YOU ROOSTER HEAD!"  
  
"Oh really? I could have sworn that no grown ups are half my size."  
  
Yahiko had enough and was on Sano's head in an instant chewing on Sano's hair.  
  
"Yuck your hair tastes horrible!"  
  
Ajisai started to crack up over this.  
  
"Well maybe you shouldn't be chewing on it!"  
  
Yahiko ignored him and continued to chew on Sano's poor head.  
  
Ajisai's stomach growled, and a little loud at that. Everyone heard it.  
  
"Oro!"  
  
"Well I'm hungry! I need some food for my demon stomach!"  
  
Kaoru didn't know why this had to happen to her... why her? "It's more company right? You defiantly won't be alone anymore!'  
  
"Hey! Kenshin can I try to make dinner tonight?!"  
  
"Um. Jou-chan, do you want to wait for Kujiro to come back and cook dinner?"  
  
Kaoru looked at him chibi form with tears streaming down her face, "Are you saying that Kujiro is better than me?"  
  
"Oro, Kaoru-dono, why don't you make dinner tonight alright?"  
  
Kaoru smiled brightly at Kenshin and he smiled right back his famous rurouni smile.  
  
Ajisai whispered to Sano, "Is she a bad cook or something?"  
  
"Lets just say that if you want to keep your taste buds, don't eat too much of it."  
  
"Yeah, busu's cooking is horrible, I don't want Kujiro to leave the dojo during meal hours anymore!"  
  
Kujiro got back to see Ajisai, Sano and Yahiko whispering with Yahiko on Sano's head.  
  
"Well, Yahiko, you make a nice decoration on Sano's head. Where do you think I could get one," Kujiro joked.  
  
"Kujiro! Go stop Busu from cooking! I like being able to taste stuff!"  
  
"Yahiko! Her cooking can't be that bad!"  
  
Sano chuckled, "Oh just you wait."  
  
Ajisai just looked at Kujiro to see a wrapped package in her arms, "What's [i]that[/i]?!"  
  
"Ingredients."  
  
"So you are going to stop busu from cooking! You were just caught up in the streets, ne?!"  
  
"Sorry Yahiko. It's a different kind of ingredients."  
  
Ajisai understood what Kujiro meant, "What spell are you going to perform that you need ingredients?"  
  
Kujiro looked at Ajisai as though she lost her head, "Ajisai have you forgotten that there are others here?!"  
  
"Oh we already know, hey can I see that fire trick you showed Sano?!" Yahiko exclaimed.  
  
"Ajisai," Kujiro said in a dangerous voice.  
  
"Hai?" Ajisai replied innocently.  
  
"Run, before I can catch you."  
  
"MEEP!"  
  
With that Ajisai ran off.  
  
~*~  
  
Kujiro lit the essences in her room until the perfumed aroma filled the room. Kujiro then meditated praying to the gods to go easy on her when she performed the sarai. She had never performed it on a human and hoped she wouldn't die in the process.  
  
She also extended her power to an extent that left her very tired and weak to bother trying to find out were Sagara was buried, feeling exhausted she went to sleep.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaoru sat on the porch of the dojo and looked at the stars. It relaxed her but reminded her of her father. They used to look at the stars and try to count how many there where. It was a way to get her tired and in bed, since Kaoru wanted to stay up with him. After about 100 Kaoru would start to nod off. Tears came to her eyes when she remembered this. Kami-sama she missed him so much. But at least she was no longer alone, she had Kenshin, Sano, Yahiko, Ajisai and Kujiro. Why was Kaoru so reluctant to accept them? She accepted the hitokiri battousai without a thought, why was she holding their pasts against them? Was it because they were women? Was it because she was jealous of Kenshin locking the door and speaking with them? He did that with Megumi too, how she hated it.  
  
"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin's soft voice called out to her, like a flowing river, the words just rolled off his tongue.  
  
"Hai Kenshin?"  
  
"Is there something wrong Kaoru-dono?"  
  
'Well lets see, I hate 2 people for no reason, I have a lot of stress on me right now... I must be great!'  
  
"I'm fine Kenshin, I just wanted to look at the stars," She sighed once again remembering her father and once again tears welled in her eyes.  
  
"Kaoru-dono, you are crying," He wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. He looked into Kaoru's surprised eyes and saw her emotions, confusions, anger, loneliness, and sadness. It hurt him to see all these emotions take their toll on her.  
  
"My father and I used to look up at the stars and try to count them," A few more tears streamed her face, "and we would always try to count them all."  
  
Kenshin sat down next to Kaoru and put his arm around her to comfort her until she fell asleep. Not realizing that he himself fell asleep too.  
  
~*~  
  
Kujiro woke at the crack of dawn and looked at the mesh of colors. Oranges, pinks, purples, reds, and some blue spots were there were no clouds. She stretched and walked out of her room. She could probably train before Ajisai got too hungry.  
  
~*~  
  
Sano woke in his apartment, and his stomach growled signaling his morning visit to the dojo. He always walked through the town past all the vendors ignoring their cries of things for sale. 'They actually think that I have the money.'  
  
He was walking along the bridge over the river when he saw a girl in the river with a sword. She looked like she was practicing; her long black hair was in the water and being pulled by the semi-calm rapids. 'She must be strong to be practicing in there... hey is that-?'  
  
The girl looking up at him smiled and waved, "Hey Sano!"  
  
"Oh hey Kujiro, what are you doing in the river?!"  
  
"I'm training no baka!" She jumped high into the air and landed safely on shore.  
  
"Oh, but why in the river?!"  
  
"No baka, it helps me become faster. But I need to talk to you after breakfast."  
  
"About what," Sano suspiciously asked.  
  
"Oh, stuff, like Captain Sagara for that matter. But I gotta go make breakfast before Ajisai gets to hungry..." She sped off in the direction of the dojo.  
  
~*~  
  
Ajisai woke up to a weird feeling on her face. It felt shiny yet rough, weirdly enough when she opened her eyes... 'Grass.'  
  
"WHY do UI fall out of the trees?! Is it that hard to stay in them for a whole night?!" She rubbed her cheek to feel that there were imprints of grass. 'Great just great, Kujiro is gonna get a laugh outta this one.'  
  
She walked into the kitchen to see Kujiro making rice balls. Ajisai knew that Kujiro sensed her.  
  
When Kujiro saw Ajisai's face she giggled.  
  
"Urusai (shut up)."  
  
"Nice face."  
  
"Urusai."  
  
"I assume you didn't last the night in the tree, ne?"  
  
"Just urusai."  
  
Kujiro smirked at Ajisai's glare, "Well breakfast is ready."  
  
~*~  
  
After breakfast Kujiro meet with Sano near the river.  
  
"What did you want to tell me?"  
  
"I need to know where your Captain was buried."  
  
"Your going to bring him back?!"  
  
"I owe him a life debt, it's the only way I can repay him."  
  
"A life debt?! You saw him recently?!"  
  
"Oh, yeah. He warned me that a demon was throwing a knife at me while I was fighting another demon. I owe him his death and he is a good person, or so they say in his files."  
  
"Files?"  
  
"Yeah, every person who dies has a file. Some times the thugs down there get a hold of them, that's were I got the information from. I then arrested the idiot because of other illegal stuff he had."  
  
"You're a police officer?!"  
  
"Not really, I just help the government, but we need to get Sagara's body. So we will leave today unless you have other plans."  
  
"So soon?"  
  
"Would you rather wait 10 years?! Yes! Now! C'mon, I wanna know if Ajisai would like to come."  
  
~*~  
  
When Kaoru woke up Kenshin wasn't there. She found him in the kitchen reading a letter.  
  
"Who's it from Kenshin?"  
  
"Kujiro-dono."  
  
"Why would she send a letter if she lives here?!"  
  
"She left it behind for us to read, here read it."  
  
Kaoru took the letter form him and began to read,  
  
[i]Dear Kaoru, Kenshin, and Yahiko,  
  
Consider yourselves lucky, Sano, Ajisai, and I have gone on a trip. I will tell you more about it when we return, but have a week free of Sano's free loading. Get Megumi to come over when we get back as well, we will need her.  
  
Kujiro [/i]  
  
"What is she talking about?!"  
  
"I don't know Kaoru-dono that I don't."  
  
~*~  
  
The week went on as a usual one would before Kujiro and Ajisai came. Kenshin would do the laundry, Yahiko would practice and make fun of her; she would run and chase him. Scolding him and giving him extra chops. Kenshin would make dinner and Kaoru would clean around the dojo with Yahiko's help.  
  
The end of the week came and just as they promised they came back with a huge package, enough for a full grown man to fit inside. What made Kaoru fill with anger was that they refused to say what it was until morning. It gave off some stench too, she tried to get them to put it outside, but Kujiro said that she needed, "to prepare it, or it won't work." So Kaoru couldn't' fall asleep that night because of her pure curiosity of what was inside the damn bag.  
  
Author's Notes: I fixed the whole, 4 and a-half-chapters on one page!!! ^_^ God, I hope your smart enough to know what's inside the bag... now remember, click the button down there and review. Or I won't post chapter 8. I only want like 5 or so, its not that hard!!! But if I didn't thank you for your review since I know I missed someone but when I went to look for that person the email wasn't there!!! I AM SOOO SORRY!!! Don't think that I missed you, you were the only reviewer that REALLY gave me a nice review... except Crystal Renee but then again she is the editor person... Ja ne minna-san!  
  
Weasel ^o^ 


	8. Chapter 8 Bloody Sarai

Disclaimer: Well, if you are an idiot you might think that this story is true, but no it's not. Cause I don't own RK... but if I did... MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!  
  
Author's Blabber-about-nothing-important: Well, I don't know if you people actually reviewed but I'm writing this anyway cause I'm bored out of my mind... Enjoy.  
  
Another Chance at Life By Weasel1029 (rokinevilweasel1029@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 8 ~ Bloody Sarai *****  
  
Kujiro sat across from the bulgy bag. She had lit half the candles and essences she bought on her trip. The vile smile that was drafting from the bag was becoming unbearable. She mixed her herbs, many of which have never been seen to the human eye. Leaves and flowers of all types; she mixed it all to a paste. Now all she had to do was lay it next to his body. The potency of her mixture was immeasurable. It could make an old lady look like a teenager again, and if used correctly, reverse the decomposing process. By the morning the body should look better and not smell as much. She prepared everything else to perform the sarai tomorrow.  
  
Unable to sleep she went to the temple to pray.  
  
Knowing what was going to happen to her tomorrow she prayed that the gods would go easily on her.  
  
~*~  
  
Sano was walking back to the dojo after gambling. Something was different though. He just couldn't bring himself to gamble that night, and was wondering around the dojo. He walked past the temple to see a hunched figure in the darkness of the night looking as through in deep prayer. He came closer to hear someone whispering to the gods to go easy...?  
  
Through the darkness he saw blue eyes looking straight at him, at first he thought it was Kaoru but they weren't the same. They didn't hold as much emotions, basically none except worry. But he had seen those eyes before,  
  
"What are you doing up so late Sano?"  
  
It was Kujiro, but praying? 'What the hell?'  
  
"I don't know, letting my legs carry me I guess."  
  
"Oh, if I can, I will bring back Sagara-san tomorrow night. I have already brewed a mixture that should reverse his decomposing body. I must warn you that if you break the circle while I am being tested then all hopes of Sagara-san coming back are gone."  
  
"Wait, what do you mean by tested and breaking the circle?" Sano was confused by Kujiro's subtleness.  
  
"You cannot step in the boundaries that will appear, no matter what." She put strain on those last 3 words.  
  
'What is she talking about?!'  
  
"Well, why would I step in the boundaries?"  
  
"Because, it may seem that I will need help, but you cannot step in the boundaries," She once again put strain on those 7 words... but her subtleness wasn't helping him understand her hidden meaning at all. He hated it when people spoke in riddles.  
  
"Well, good night Sano. I have to get some rest for tomorrow night."  
  
He just watched her walk off into the darkness and heard the miniscule sound of a door sliding open and closed.  
  
Sano himself couldn't sleep that night, anticipation kept him awake until he finally fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.  
  
When he woke up in the morning he smelled Kujiro's cooking, when he walked in she looked just as tired as he was.  
  
"Morning..." he yawned.  
  
"Ohayo, tell everyone else not to bother me today please."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I need to prepare in silence."  
  
"Ya know Kujiro, you never told us what would happen during this thing," Ajisai appeared at the smell of breakfast. It was on her instinct to smell Kujiro's cooking.  
  
"Because I don't want you to be alarmed."  
  
"Kujiro... what is going to happen that would get any of us worried?!" Ajisai hated Kujiro's riddles... come to think of it, she hated when she dropped clues trying to get you off her back hoping that that would be enough. She would be so... protective, not wanting you to know; thinking it would help, leaving you clueless until it happened.  
  
"Just leave it, you'll find out tonight."  
  
"Iie, there is no way I'm letting you go off with your riddles. Tell me."  
  
"I will be tested by the gods since they don't like to loose their dead. I will be tested on strength of heart and body; also my abilities. So don't worry if I get hurt."  
  
During breakfast everyone was quite until Yahiko walked in with his usually spiky hair flattened temporarily. With in minutes of sitting down his hair stood up as usual.  
  
"My god, he is alive after all," Kujiro joked.  
  
Yahiko didn't respond to this comment which surprised everyone. He just sat down and started eating.  
  
"Yahiko is something wrong," Kaoru asked.  
  
Yahiko looked up from his food, "Huh? What are you talking about Busu?"  
  
"Yahiko-chan!" That was it; Kaoru's nifty bokken was out and found its target leaving a big bump on poor Yahiko's head.  
  
Kujiro and Ajisai just sat there, not used to this behavior from the two of them. It must have shown on their face because Sano spoke up, "Oh don't worry there guys, they do this at least 5 times a day, you see that's why Yahiko has such a hard head."  
  
Kujiro had a smirk on her face and Ajisai had a devious smile plastered on hers. ~*~  
  
The full moon lightened the black skies. It was the only source of light for a group of figures in the middle of a clearing in the woods.  
  
Kujiro lifted the cover off of the dead corpus of Souzou Sagara.  
  
Everyone but Kujiro's eyes were wide at the sight of seeing Souzou's body. It was as though he was just sleeping, all his skin was replenished and if they had not known better they would easily think he was sleeping.  
  
'Their eyes were that wide when I told them this afternoon. Especially when I said that it was Souzou that I was reincarnating...'  
  
"Everyone, I must ask that you don't interfere at any time until his eyes open. This is gravely important if you want Souzou-san to live again."  
  
Kujiro turned around and knelt next to the body, she took the bottles containing mixed powders that she placed there earlier and opened one. She took about a handful of the blood red grains and poured them into Souzou's mouth. She then chanted a language none of them heard before, Megumi, Sano, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko were mesmerized. Ajisai wasn't, only because she had seen Kujiro do things like that before, it was nothing new.  
  
There was a slight tremor after a while of Kujiro's chanting, she stopped chanting and looked at Souzou's body... nothing, as expected.  
  
It was like some thing invisible took Kujiro's hand and pulled her up into the air. Everyone watching including Ajisai was now mesmerized. For awhile she just hovered, her hot breathe making steady clouds of steam. It was a chilly spring night, when the frost had not quite gone away and making its last effect before spring warmth came in full force.  
  
Then they heard a sharp gasp of breathe as Kujiro's body writhed in the air, it was struggling at some unseen force; like the one that pulled her up. It could barely be seen; the drop of liquid that left her body and fell to the floor. It was soon followed by others, and soon it was constantly dripping. Her body continued writhing and her body became bruised, but in the darkness of the night it couldn't be seen.  
  
She wanted to scream out in pain; unleash her growing pain, anger, and frustration. She was angry and frustrated at her growing desire to scream out her organs. She felt cut upon cut being made and smelt her own blood, it became overpowering. She was fighting the pressure against her legs to bend them in a most uncomfortable position and break a bone.  
  
But she was concentrating too much on her legs when pain shot up her arm faster than a bullet, and a loud crack was heard. The pain didn't last long as she scrunched up her face to ignore it.  
  
Kenshin heard all this, he was horrified. His whole purpose after the revolution was to protect people, and he found that he could protect Kujiro- dono. It made him feel weak, that he couldn't protect her.  
  
Ajisai closed her eyes as the loud crack was heard. She didn't like the thought of her best friend being hurt by anything else. She just hoped Kujiro could handle it and would be able to finish what she started.  
  
The puddle under Kujiro was already being absorbed into the ground, making the soil an ugly clay color.  
  
Kujiro felt all the pain stop and voices fill her head, demanding answers to their questions. Some were kind and others were aggressive and demanding. She was feeling dizzy from all the confusion and dull pain in her body.  
  
One asked, 'Why should we give him to YOU?'  
  
'I owe him a life debt,' her voice was strong since it was her mental voice. A thought flashed through her head, 'Am I crazy?! I am talking to voices in my head!'  
  
They all chuckled at her thought. A cruel voice as cold and devious as a snake said, 'So if we kill you and let the man return to his body then no one will care. After all, it's a life debt. Once we kill you and bring him back your life debt is repaid. Why not have a trade?! Sagara Souzou for Nakao Kujiro; Nagasaki's powerful apprentice.'  
  
'No way in hell,' she viciously spat.  
  
The voice was angered but didn't succeed in keeping it unknown in his tone of voice, 'Why not?'  
  
'The people around me need me. If I die it will bring them great sadness... well more like it will bring Ajisai great sadness.'  
  
'One person?'  
  
'One person could make a world of differences. Ajisai could go on and become a manslayer and easily kill many innocent people, she could easily fall back into her old slayer habits. I don't wan that for her.'  
  
There was no response from any one. Complete silence in her mind. It was eerie, after hearing all that commotion and one voice overpowering the others... silence was just scary then. She supposed that they had decided to kill her when she felt her body drop. She thought that she would just keep falling forever until her soul went to Nochinoyo. But she hit the forest floor, and hard. She felt the blood that wasn't absorbed into the ground splash at her sudden impact. She felt pissed off all of a sudden. 'They could gently bring me up in the air but they couldn't gently let me down?!'  
  
She was mumbling curse words at the 'Gods.'  
  
Ajisai knowingly smiled. 'Kujiro must be fine enough to have time to curse off people.'  
  
Kujiro was still mumbling when she dragged her own body over to Souzou's. She was clutching one cut in her side that because of the blood flow was most likely very close to the vein.  
  
Souzou's body looked no different from when she last saw it. But it looked a hell of a lot better from when she first saw the rotten corpse. His muscles weren't quite starting to deteriorate yet; some of his skin was still there surprisingly. He was being preserved a little bit, which made it easier on Kujiro. His eyes were gone leaving 2 gaps in his face, but his hair was still there, and falling in his face. It still looked a little soft.  
  
You could see some of his jaw bone, and by then the flies had come. His cheeks had gaping holes in them, you could see inside his mouth... His clothes were changed from when he was killed, she could tell because there was no blood, but were there was a gaping whole in his burial gi you could see the bullet wounds they didn't even try to hide. That was enough for her after that. The smell was starting to get to her and the sight.  
  
But now his skin was flawless, and the wounds on his chest were just scars.  
  
She made her self kneel next to him and sit there, ignoring the waves of pain coming from her legs at having her body force on them.  
  
She started to murmur ancient words that the others couldn't understand. It seemed that she knew an entire different language and she had an odd accent when she spoke it. She gradually became louder.  
  
A light appeared above Souzou's body, Kujiro had to shield herself from being blinded. It was gradually getting bigger and stronger light. It rose high into the air and dove straight into Souzou's body.  
  
Everyone's eyes were hurting from the sudden light and now that it was gone, their eyes weren't used to this much darkness, and they couldn't see their hands.  
  
It didn't matter to Kujiro though; she wanted to know if her spell had worked.  
  
Author's blabber-about-nothing-important: Well I got another review and I actually was in a writing mood when I wrote this, so it should be a pretty descriptive chapter... I tried to not really go into the dead corpse of Souzou just incase some of you aren't into gore, but I couldn't keep it out! I LOVE gore! It doesn't bother me at all! So, please review!  
  
Ja ne minna-san!  
  
Weasel ^o^ 


	9. Chapter 9 Well deserved rest

Disclaimer: Why do we even need to write these? I think it's pretty obvious the only thing I own in this Fan fiction is Kujiro and Ajisai and the plot line...  
  
Author's-blabber-of-nothing-important: I am gonna shorten this story a lot. I have lost most interest in this and want to go on and start writing the other fan fic ideas that I have, but I fully intend on finishing this! I'm just going to make it a romance instead of an action romance. There was going to be a lot more to this story than what's going to happen but I can't bring myself to write all that, since I have writer's block on what I have already planned out! So, on with the chapter!  
  
Another Chance at Life By Weasel1029 (rokinevilweasel1029@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 9 ~ Well deserved rest*****  
  
Souzou had no clue what happened. He was in his room at Nagasaki's dojo and with a blur of colors and howl of wind in his ears he was lying in the forest. At the corner of his eyes he saw a figure, a women most likely, waver and fall to the ground with a red liquid around it.  
  
'Blood.'  
  
Kujiro saw that his eyes were open and rejoiced, but that was the straw. Her rejoicing took to much energy for her weakened body; she tried to straighten herself when she felt herself start to fall, but she couldn't. She gave in and let her body fall.  
  
Ajisai heard a 'thud' and knew immediately it was Kujiro. 'She needs medical attention, where the hell is the doctor?!'  
  
As if hearing Ajisai's mental call Megumi who was brought by the group, walked over to the two laying forms and saw that the man had his eyes open glazed over with confusion and worry.  
  
He tried to get up but Megumi refused to let him, "Please, sir, don't waste your energy and stay. I need to attend to her, just lay down."  
  
Souzou tried to comprehend but he wanted to know what was happening. He never saw her in Nochinoyo and he could have swore he saw her with Sanosuke, but how could she see him?!  
  
Megumi took out various paraphernalia, lotions, and bandages.  
  
"I need to get her to the clinic, or she will bleed to death."  
  
Ajisai volunteered since she could see Sano wanted to talk with Souzou. She took Kujiro's arm and wasn't a bit surprise when Kujiro tried to push away, to weak to attempt sensing who it was.  
  
"Kujiro no baka! Stop squirming! If you want to die of blood loss then keep squirming!"  
  
Only one person talked to her like that, in that annoyed and sarcastic tone, "Whatever Ajisai..."  
  
Souzou saw Sanosuke, "Sanosuke? What are you doing here?"  
  
"No time now captain, we gotta get you to kitsune's clinic so she can give you a check up... but it's great to have you back Captain."  
  
'Have me back? What was Sanosuke talking about?! I'm dead... but if I'm dead why can they talk to me? Kami-sama this is confusing.'  
  
Kenshin looked at Kaoru and Yahiko. They were the only ones left in the clearing. Kenshin sheepishly smiled and said, "We should go to the clinic, ne?"  
  
Yahiko was still awed at the power Kujiro seemed to show, and Kaoru was thinking along those same lines as well.  
  
~*~  
  
Megumi was working as fast as possible, without making any careless mistakes. She was absorbed in wrapping Kujiro's wounds. Her gi was tattered and was cut off long ago. She had bruises on her sides as if she was being crushed, and bruises on her upper chest. There was scratch marks half a foot long across her stomach, cutting through the bandages she had originally around her stomach. 'Kami-sama, who knows how deep these cuts would be if there wasn't bandaging...'  
  
The more time pasted the more bruises appeared. She couldn't apply any lotions on them until she bandaged up all of the deep cuts along her abdomen. She took one hell of a beating.  
  
When she was done she walked out of the room to the room containing Souzou, and started to attend to him, he didn't really need any thing. Just an explanation and rest.  
  
"So how hurt is she," he asked.  
  
"She was beat up pretty bad Souzou-san, I don't know when she will wake up, but she will survive. She lost a lot of blood and acquired some nasty bruises."  
  
"But why do that for me? She must have known I was content being dead. A little disappointed on being betrayed, but..."  
  
"You should ask Ken-san that question or Tori-atama."  
  
"Tori-atama?!"  
  
"Oh, Sanosuke... the baka Tori. Now get some rest, I will not allow any of my patients to collapse of sleepiness!"  
  
~*~  
  
She sensed someone ki, too tired to actually bother going into it anymore than that she kept her eyes closed hoping they would go away if they thought she was still asleep.  
  
The shoji door slid open and shut with a dull scraping noise... 'They didn't even bother to knock?! Maybe they think I'm still asleep... wait... every one thinks that in the first place no baka!'  
  
She heard the clunk of a tray being put on the floor, and the subtle sound of clothes rustling.  
  
'Are they going to feed me? Maybe I should let them know I'm awake. Kami-sama it would be awkward for me otherwise.'  
  
She felt the eyes starring at her... and sense her master stressed to teach her, since she was a girl, it was more important to be aware of her surroundings, since some people had hentai minds.  
  
i "Deshi, remember this. You have great potential, I will not lie. But never let the line between arrogance and confidence break. If you are arrogant, when you fall you will fall harder. Hai, everyone falls at one point. Also, you are becoming a young women. "You must be constantly aware of your surroundings in seedy and dilapidated areas. Not all men are gentle men." /i  
  
Suddenly her jaw was open, the only way she could tell was by her moving it slightly to find it open... but, she hadn't opened it, and she didn't feel the person's touch. Was she paralyzed?! She very well could be she hadn't bothered to try to move.  
  
She wasn't sure how much time had passed but she wasn't keeping her eyes closed any longer. She opened them and saw a black haired man, his bangs covering half his face leaning over her about to out rice in her mouth.  
  
'Wait! This isn't right! He must have been putting that stuff in my mouth for a while! CCRRAAAPP! I think I'm paralyzed!'  
  
The man starred over at her, unsure of what to do now that she was up. Tell Megumi? Or ask her the questions that had been bothering him greatly?  
  
Kujiro finally recognized the man as Souzou... 'YAY! It worked!'  
  
Instead of that coming out of her mouth, "Tell me, am I paralyzed?!"  
  
Souzou looked at her puzzled and chuckled a little, "Why would you be paralyzed? Megumi never told me that."  
  
"Are you serious?!" Kujiro was finally allowing her body to relax after tensing up thinking she was paralyzed...  
  
'Kami-sama! I can be such an idiot sometimes! If I had control over my muscles, then of course I'm not paralyzed!'  
  
Kujiro looked as if she could have smacked herself, just the pure annoyance written over her face seemingly directed at her self.  
  
"Ano, Kujiro-san, what's wrong?"  
  
"First of all Souzou-san, my name is Kujiro, not Kujiro-san, and I was just thinking about certain stuff."  
  
"Aa."  
  
Kujiro couldn't stand laying down any more, she had to move; the thought of being paralyzed still in her mind.  
  
She rose a little too quickly as the sheet that was up to her chin dropped down to her waist as she shot up from her old position. She didn't see that she was so bruised that night. She had a patch across her stomach covering up a cut, and she had binding on her breasts, but other than that, her stomach was viewable to all.  
  
Kujiro felt incredibly embarrased and smacked herself in the forehead. She threw her body back on the bed and let her hair cover her flushed face.  
  
"Arigatou Souzou-san, but I'm not hungry anymore."  
  
Souzou was a little put of track... he couldn't get the image out of his mind, eventually shutting it out and replied, "My name is Souzou, not Souzou-san. Good day Kujiro."  
  
Souzou walked out, still a little weirded out. Yes, he had seen many horrible injuries in the war, but seeing a few bruises on her made him feel... bad maybe?  
  
'AH! I forgot to ask her that question!'  
  
"Souzou-san? Anything change with Kujiro-san's condition?"  
  
Megumi's voice rang clear through his mind, "Oh, yes, she woke up while I was feeding her."  
  
"Great. I'll go check on her, are you sure your alright Souzou-san?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
He walked away, to go and talk to Sano, especially since Katsu was going to be there.  
  
'Ten years... They always fought as though they were brothers.' A small chuckle escaped him recalling all the times the argued over the smallest things. Loosing fish, being an idiot or a gerk...  
  
~*~  
  
Kujiro lay there know there must be a huge blush on her face, hopefully it would have disappeared by now since she could sense Megumi? Probably Megumi, she learned her ki after the alley way.  
  
"Whats up Megumi," She asked before Megumi could utter a word.  
  
"Kujiro-san, I need to give you a check up, we can have some small talk afterwards."  
  
"Pfft. Sure, I'm sure I'm fine."  
  
"You never know Kujiro-san."  
  
"Kami-sama! Stop calling me –san! You make me feel like an old hag!"  
  
Megumi smiled softly at her comment and started her check up on Kujiro.  
  
Author's-blabber-of-nothing-important: Well, there is another chapter... hopefully there wont be many more... maybe 5 or 6. But, I saw the last RK movie yesterday! I won't say anything but I liked the end... it fit! I will probably will take a while when I update now since I have track everyday until 5:00. Sometimes I wonder why I joined.  
  
Weasel 


	10. Chapter 10 Some People Like Their Sleep

Disclaimer: *day dreaming* *sighs* If only I owned RK! *Has a vision: Stick figures that are poorly drawn, color outside of the lines.... Basically a first grader's drawing. * O.O uhh... How bout not?!  
  
Author's-blabber-of-nothing-important! Okay... can someone tell me how to use bold, italics and such?! Every time I try it doesn't work!!!! I can't figure it out!!! GAH!!! *rips out masses of hair* O.O Whoops? I wanna finish this story over spring break, cause I have a project, expand and home work ON TOP of track after spring break!!! *pouts*  
  
Another Chance at Life (rokinevilweasel1029@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 10 ~ Some people like their sleep*****  
  
"KUUUUJJJIIIRRROOOO!!!!!"  
  
The call of her name permeated her peaceful dreaming. What the dream was she couldn't exactly recall, since it was completely forgotten once she woke up. "What the-?"  
  
Ajisai plopped onto the floor next to Kujiro's laying form. She ignored her nerves painful protests of hitting the floor so violently. "Nice to see you're up Kujiro!"  
  
"Ugh... Ajisai, some people like their sleep," Kujiro moaned. There was a sharp pain as she turned over from her wound, obviously not quite healed yet.  
  
"Hehe... whoops? Did I wake up the sleeping baby," Ajisai cooed mockingly. She smiled inwardly awaiting Kujiro's fast witted answer.  
  
"But you're already up!"  
  
"So much for the glad part of you awakening. Whoa... you look... withered..."  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
Ajisai was enjoying her torture of Kujiro. She did every now and then but Kujiro always caught on. Was she just tired from blood loss?  
  
Kujiro mistook the look on Ajisai's worried; she started to believe what Ajisai was telling her. 'Is it a side affect I never knew? Crap.'  
  
Ajisai watched as Kujiro's face washed over with bewilderment. 'She sure is gullible when she isn't healthy...'  
  
"You... actually... believed...me?! You are... SO gullible," Ajisai managed to say between her hysterical fits of laughter.  
  
"What is going on in here?! My patients are complaining about weird noises!" Megumi was stressed out of her mind, there were so many new patients all needing medical attention... she could swear that someone hated her out there.  
  
"Oh... those? That would be Ajisai... She is weird, ne? Maybe you should give her a check up... she may have some, mental problems," Kujiro slyly implied.  
  
Ajisai used to these kinds of comments, and playing along in sync with her, "Oh and I suppose you know that I am, 'crazy,' because you already are?"  
  
Megumi couldn't take it anymore, she was tired, stressed and annoyed. "If you two can't keep it down I will have to ask you BOTH to leave the clinic! I can't have so much noise!"  
  
Kujiro and Ajisai both looked at each other with smiles threatening to appear, but to stop them from coming Kujiro looked away and instead fixed her gaze on Megumi. She tried to get her most angelic smile to appear and look at least semi-innocent.  
  
"We are very sorry Megumi-san! We are just joking! But there is no need to throw us out!" Kujiro tried to sound reassuring and innocent, she was a well practiced liar, it just rolled off of her tongue, even Ajisai couldn't tell sometimes.  
  
Megumi just rolled her eyes, and threw up her hands in exasperation.  
  
Once Megumi was out Ajisai's face turned to that of a devilish smirk.  
  
'She knows something... And she is going to make me guess.'  
  
"What is it Ajisai? What do you know that I don't?"  
  
Ajisai felt like leaving Kujiro waiting awhile before giving her a clear answer, "Well... I don't know. I mean it does include you but-"  
  
"What is it," Kujiro sighed exasperatedly, she was going to make her wait, more like guess.  
  
"Your boyfriend wants to talk to you!"  
  
Kujiro was bewildered, "Boyfriend, I have never had a boyfriend! What boy-... oh," she smacked her forehead with the palm of his hand. "For the last time, he is NOT my boyfriend."  
  
"Oh really? Because he was pretty flushed when he left your room after you woke up."  
  
Kujiro just looked at her with a, 'You've gotta be kiddin' me,' face.  
  
"Well ANYWAY, he wants to talk about something with you..."  
  
Kujiro groaned and ignored Ajisai's devilish grin that spread across her face like wild fire.  
  
~*~  
  
Making sure that this time, Kujiro was covered by her blankets she waited for Souzou to come. Even though she was fully clothed.  
  
She tensed up at the creak of the wood floors outside, how had she become so anxious? It didn't even turn out to be Souzou... she could sense it was a child who slipped out of their room. How lucky they were. Who knows who long she had been bond to this futon. Weeks? Days? Who knows, her body was begging for movement, for signals it could still move properly. She had no doubt that she would be sore after training now, and the first chance she got to hold her katana, she would train until her muscles couldn't move.  
  
She turned to face her window, pining to go outside. To smell the fresh air, to have her long tresses blow around playing with the wind. The periwinkle sky reminded her of rivers, lakes, ponds, hot springs... She wanted to feel the soft touch of the water hugging to her shin, slowly absorbing.  
  
The soft patter of feet, she not only heard it but sensed who it was. Her nerves were calmed by then and she didn't really care that Souzou had come. She just continued to pine to be outside.  
  
There was a soft knock and a mummer of her name in a polite tone.  
  
"Come in," Kujiro replied boredom laced in tightly with her voice.  
  
When the door opened Kujiro turned over to face Souzou. He silently walked over and looked into her face determined. Even though one eye was covered by his extremely long bangs, you could see it in his one eye. His jaw was set and he seemed anxious.  
  
It amused Kujiro, since she was only that way a few minutes ago. It was always nice to se other people who are as nervous as you, kind of a reminder that you are human. "So how are you Souzou? No pain or anything from the sarai I hope."  
  
He smiled weakly at her, "The thing is I can't feel a thing, I can't feel the wind or a pat on the back."  
  
"I knew you would say that. But don't worry Souzou, you will eventually get your feeling of touch back.  
  
"It just because you body hasn't been alive in about ten years. Seeing, hearing, and smell come back easily. But taste and touch, they take awhile to regain. It always depends on the person how long you will remain without the senses of touch and taste. They usually return at the same time. And if it helps any, I do not have any sense of touch or taste as well. It's a punishment for stealing a soul from Nochinoyo."  
  
It was a moment or two before Souzou responded, letting it set in and go over it to fully understand it.  
  
"So, I can't feel or taste anything." That was why he felt empty; he couldn't feel another person's touch or taste food his tongue had been longing to have.  
  
"Yeah," she said, "well it's not like you won't be able to forever. It will come back, but it's impossible to tell when."  
  
They both started to feel empty and incomplete. It was an emptiness that was threatening to tear them to pieces if not filled. Deep somewhere intangible, and yet they could feel its strong weight and emptiness in every part of their body.  
  
Sitting still was always insufferable to Kujiro, so with out warning to stood up and walked to the door, "I'm going for a walk, you are welcome to join me Souzou if you would like."  
  
Author's-blabber-of-nothing-important: Alright... the next chapter is the last... don't expect it to be all great and everything. I don't care for this annoying story at all and wanna start another one. Maybe I'll do my YYH one next or my other RK one that's in my head... Oh well, I am gonna write the last chapter and be done! MUAHAHAHAHA!!! 


	11. Chapter 11 Another Chance at Life

Disclaimer: EEEEEE!!! It's the last chapter and I don't own any of the characters! ^o^  
  
Author's-blabber-of-nothing-important: It's the last chapter... Whoo?  
  
Another Chance at Life By Weasel1029 (rokinevilweasel1029@hotmail.com)  
  
*****Chapter 11 ~ Another Chance at Life *****  
  
Unlike Kaoru and Megumi, Ajisai and Kujiro didn't bother to get dressed up for the Tanabata festival. Refusing to wear, "constricting kimonos."  
  
The gang met Sano and Souzou at the fair as planned, and everyone went off to each booth looking at the chocolates, perfumes and expensive gifts for your loved one.  
  
Naturally Ajisai and Kujiro felt out of place and wandered with no purpose. After a while of walking they separated due to the large crowd of people in the streets.  
  
Kujiro didn't know where she was, she just traveled were her foot carried her or were the crowd was headed. She found her self being deposited in front of a match maker booth. 'Fate has a sick sense of humor.'  
  
One snobby rich brat started whispering to her friend next to her, not bothering to be inconspicuous of the subject they were gossiping about.  
  
"LOOK at those clothes! You can see her legs! How disgraceful! I don't know why she is bothering walking by here. No one wants some wanna- be swordsman for their wife!"  
  
Kujiro froze as she was about to turn away, and spun around to face the bitches in front of her.  
  
The girl who last said something was a pretty girl, a nice shade of brown hair. She had matching harsh brown eyes, and a small nose. Her lips were a desirable rose red, but they were in the shape of a cocky smirk, that just messed up the rest of her face. Kujiro was sure that she could have been a lot prettier if she didn't look like such a bitch.  
  
Her friend on the other hand... was on the portly side. You could mistake it for her face to be swelled. Obviously trying to make her self more appealing she tried to use makeup, but it was a poor job. You could tell that she used it, and that she didn't use it well.  
  
"If you think I'm a 'wanna-be' I would gladly show you my skills," her voice was venomous, "but I wouldn't waste my precious time on you shrews."  
  
The first girl's mouth was wide open in shock at being talked back to. The anger she was emitting was practically tangible. Not that Kujiro gave a damn.  
  
"How dare you speak to me that way," she seethed, "do you have ANY clue who I am?! I'm-"  
  
"I couldn't care less about your name. And I am not the one who first spoke out of their place. Oh! And by the way," She added sweetly, "no one wants to marry a bitch."  
  
Before the other girl could utter a word Kujiro walked away once again blending with the crowd and following their footsteps. She didn't feel like doing this any more, she couldn't bare to see any more couples or anymore critical eyes in her direction. Her emptiness was starting to rip her apart; she was feeling emptier than ever before.  
  
She forced her way thought the crowd to get back to the path leading to the river.  
  
She looked into the surface of the flowing water, her reflection blurry and unclear. Much like her emotions.  
  
'Will I ever find someone that every other normal person has the chance find. Do I even have a chance? No! Like the bitch said, no one wants to love or marry for that matter a swordsman. All I know is the sword. It's my life. No husband would like the fact that his wife could protect him. It's just plain shameful. I'm destined to a lonely life, with my sword as my only comfort... if you would call killing people comforting.'  
  
She punched her reflection as if to say, 'I won't condemn myself to that.'  
  
She turned away defeated by her own thoughts, away from the rushing river. She closed her eyes and wished to be away, far away. 'Maybe if I stayed with my parents I would be able to find someone. Yeah... and have bruises all over your body!'  
  
"Kujiro? Are you alright?"  
  
Souzou and she had gotten to know much about each other in the past few weeks, since they would take walks together or, he would interrupt her training. Once she was training by the river and she saw him there, so she splashed at him playfully. He responded by splashing her back, so to get her just revenge she pushed him in. But he was smart and held onto her arm bringing her in with him. They then proceeded to continue to splash each other until they started to prune.  
  
They talked of many things, and knew each other so well hey could easily read each other.  
  
"Just letting some weakling girls get to me." She chuckled harshly at the thought. One sentence could affect her to that extent?  
  
"What did they say?"  
  
"Well they were right! They said how disgrace full I was, and how no man could love or marry a 'wanna-be' swordsman! And they were right! I mean, think about it, what man in their right mind would like a wife who was stronger than them? It would be disgraceful to them! I couldn't bare it any more, seeing all those happy people. I can't! Not when no one could ever want anything to do with me!"  
  
"I do," was his soft reply. It was warm and loving, a thing Kujiro never heard in anyone's voice before. She had heard sarcasm, annoyance, anger, comfort, but never ever had she heard love. Love was different from comfort as well. Love came with warmth, with an inner meaning. Comfort is just used to help someone, not as potent as love.  
  
~*~  
  
Kenshin and Kaoru sat on a bench away from the noise of the festival. Both looking at the stars on the horizon.  
  
Kaoru subconsciously laid her head on Kenshin's shoulder like she always used to do with her father. She could feel Kenshin tense when she laid her head on his shoulder, but relaxed once he realized it was Kaoru.  
  
Kenshin smiled to himself, and lay his head on top of hers.  
  
No words needed to be said at that moment, it was a very comfortable silence.  
  
~*~  
  
"Nani," she couldn't believe her ears. 'Why would he say that? Oh god... no. He actually meant it? Wait! I wanted to hear this! But... why don't I want it now?!'  
  
Souzou took a few steps forward until he was inches from Kujiro. He then wrapped his arms around her and brought her closer to him, "I want a wife like you," he whispered in her ear.  
  
Kujiro had never had anyone this close to her before, EVER. Upon realizing this, she felt a peculiar thing. The warmth emitting from Souzou's body. It was only then she realized how close they really were, and could feel her own arms around his.  
  
Souzou felt it too, he felt her warmth and he immediately brought her apart to look into her face. Her eyes held confusion along with nerves ness, and content. Without thinking he lowered down his head to bring his lips on hers.  
  
Kujiro's initial reaction was shock. He was courageous... she had to give him that. To pull such a forward move after only knowing her for a month.  
  
Unfathomable things were happing that Kujiro just couldn't understand. At his slightest touch she felt her walls collapse. Weary from years of constant wear and tear, they finally broke. Her prided walls which she had learned would keep her from emotion pain had just crumbled with the sensation of Souzou's lips.  
  
He didn't know if it was because he was sensitive to feeling things and tasting but, Kujiro was sweet and warm, he could only hope that she would accept his gesture. Because after this, he doubted that a day would go by without him thinking of the feel of her lips.  
  
To Souzou's delight her arms shot up to meet his neck to pull him in closer and she opened her mouth inviting him to continue. He complied all too happily as he coaxed her to follow his lead with his tongue.  
  
His soft overly long bangs tickled her face. Her hands played with his hair just as his were toiling with her mane.  
  
Unfortunately they needed to breathe, and broke the kiss in need of air.  
  
"Did you feel that," Kujiro asked anxiously, "I mean... I felt your warmth and your embrace-"  
  
She stopped when Souzou hushed her by putting a finger on her lips. "Even if I didn't," he replied, "knowing that you did is more than enough."  
  
Kujiro looked at him, unsure if he had feeling and taste... now she knew how frustrating it was when people spoke in riddles. "You still didn't answer my question. Did you feel anything?!"  
  
His smile was warm and brought her great comfort. "Hai," he whispered in her ear, "and I'm glad you're the first thing I tasted."  
  
In shock, her eyes widened to look at him in the face. He was smiling again, and she returned it... her first real smile, in... Kami-sama knows how long. This was her other chance at living a good life... all her life it was abuse and death. This was her chance, not only hers but his as well.  
  
They stood there in the moonlit night, the sound of the river rushing by and distant sound of the festival. Kissing in the twilight.  
  
Author's-final-blabber-of-nothing-important: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! IT'S FINALLY DONE!!!! *Heavy weight lifts off shoulders* NOW to my better stories!!! I think this chapter was pretty good though... but I just couldn't write more so I finished it. Oh well... Ja ne minna-san!!!!  
  
Weasel 


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